Wife, I’ve Been Reborn (GL) - Chapter 1
Chapter 1
The summer sun was scorching, beating down as if it meant to peel off a layer of skin.
Mu Nan clutched her books as she walked toward the classroom, cicadas and birds chirping noisily in the trees.
The sweltering heat made her feel irritable for no reason. Once inside the classroom, she dropped her books on the desk, grabbed the bottle of cold water beside her, and tilted her head back to take a big gulp.
Her best friend Chen Jiao plopped down in the seat next to her and looked out the window, shaking her head.
“The weather forecast said it’d rain today. Yeah right.”
Mu Nan followed her gaze — the sun was blazing.
“That forecast’s been wrong more times than I can count. And you still trust it?”
Chen Jiao nodded, grinning.
Half the class was already in the room, chatting noisily. Chen Jiao couldn’t sit still. When she overheard two girls up front talking about transfer students, she perked up.
Mu Nan noticed her interest and asked, “What is it?”
Chen Jiao nodded toward the girls ahead of them. “I just heard Xiao Xin say we’re getting two transfer students in our class.”
Mu Nan slumped over her desk like a puddle of mush.
She had stayed up way too late last night binge-watching anime, losing track of time until nearly 4 a.m. Now she was beyond tired — but she still responded:
“What’s so surprising about that? We get transfer students every semester.”
Their school was considered third-tier. Students who got kicked out or couldn’t cut it at better schools often ended up here. Transfers were routine.
Last year alone, their class had ten new students in one semester.
Without exception, they were all terrible students.
Mu Nan wasn’t even slightly interested.
Chen Jiao continued, “But this one’s different. You know who’s transferring in?”
Mu Nan thought for a few seconds, then replied, “Is this a riddle?”
Chen Jiao slowly shook her head.
“You even have a brain?”
Mu Nan smacked her with a book. Chen Jiao laughed and dodged it, retreating to her own seat.
“Ugh, seriously! Leaving the suspense hanging like that — that’s just evil!”
Mu Nan tried to guess who it might be, using her few remaining brain cells.
From Chen Jiao’s expression, it had to be some kind of “campus legend” —
Probably a school bully or a notorious troublemaker.
Sigh…
Up front, Xiao Xin was still chatting about the same topic. Mu Nan perked up, trying to confirm her guess.
But once she really listened, she was floored.
The shocking news instantly scared away any trace of sleepiness. Wide awake now, Mu Nan turned to Xiao Xin and asked,
“Wait, are you sure the transfer student is Xu Liangchen from No. 1 High?”
Xiao Xin saw the sparkle in Mu Nan’s eyes and tried not to laugh, nodding firmly.
“Absolutely confirmed!”
“So? Surprised? Delighted? Overjoyed?”
Mu Nan gasped. “Whoa… this is HUGE news!!”
You couldn’t blame her for freaking out — for the so-called academic losers at No. 3 High, Xu Liangchen transferring in was like someone dropping a nuclear bomb on them.
An instant-death kind of bomb.
Who was Xu Liangchen from No. 1 High?
Top of the top. An academic goddess. The best of the best.
Rumor had it she’d always been at the top of her class since elementary school, and by junior high, she was already called a walking textbook.
Because of some zoning issue, she technically wasn’t supposed to go to No. 1 High, but they made an exception to admit her. She was well-liked by teachers and students alike.
And that’s without even mentioning all the awards she’d won — they practically stacked taller than she was.
Naturally, Mu Nan had once tried to sneak a peek at her too.
During a visit to No. 1 High, she had intentionally wandered past the Grade 11 building. A friend had pointed out a girl with long, flowing hair:
“Look, that’s Xu Liangchen.”
Mu Nan’s first reaction had been, “Damn, she’s gorgeous!”
Long hair, soft smile, gentle movements as she flipped through a book — she was the very picture of elegance.
The rumors were true — an absolute beauty.
Mu Nan had sighed. Beautiful and brilliant.
Why did the universe give everything to one person? So unfair!
She never expected that a year later, she’d get to be in the same class as Xu Liangchen.
The same class?!
No way.
Xiao Xin had to be messing with her.
Xiao Xin pouted. “Who’s messing with you? Did you forget my second aunt is the dean? She told me when she came over during summer break.”
Mu Nan stroked her chin thoughtfully.
“This Xu Liangchen… must’ve gone mad.”
Xiao Xin whacked her with a book.
“You’re seriously hopeless. But do you guys know why she’s transferring?”
The surrounding classmates all perked up, their eyes gleaming, silently urging her to spill.
Xiao Xin shrugged helplessly. “I don’t know either.”
Mu Nan and the rest of the class: “…”
…
During the first class that afternoon, the homeroom teacher really did walk in with two new students.
Mu Nan remembered Xiao Xin saying two students were transferring. She had been so focused on asking about Xu Liangchen, she forgot to ask who the boy was.
Probably just another troublemaker from some sketchy school like theirs.
Judging by his laid-back, slouchy demeanor, he definitely wasn’t top student material.
The teacher stood at the podium. On her left was the boy. On her right was—
Wait, what the hell?
When did Xu Liangchen cut her hair?
Mu Nan’s eyes widened.
Xu Liangchen’s long hair was gone, now cropped short — only slightly longer than the boy’s.
She looked pale and slender, dressed simply in a T-shirt and jeans, standing straight and tall.
Her face was expressionless, her sharp eyes scanning the classroom slowly.
Mu Nan instinctively shrank back.
Why did Xu Liangchen seem more intimidating than the teacher?
“Mu Nan!” the teacher suddenly called.
Mu Nan stood up, feeling all her classmates’ eyes turn toward her. Her cheeks flushed. “Here.”
The teacher looked around the classroom, pondering.
“Zhao Shi, you sit next to Mu Nan. Xu Liangchen—”
Before she could finish, Xu Liangchen spoke up, her voice crisp and calm.
“I’d like to sit in that seat.”
She pointed to the desk next to Mu Nan.
All eyes turned back to Mu Nan, who fiddled nervously with the hem of her shirt.
Why’s everyone looking at me…
The teacher, clearly favoring a top student like Xu Liangchen, didn’t hesitate.
“All right. Zhao Shi, you take that seat instead.”
Zhao Shi stiffly sat down, eyes never leaving Xu Liangchen.
But she didn’t seem to notice.
She walked steadily over to Mu Nan’s side.
“Can you move over a bit?”
Mu Nan blinked, then quickly responded, “Oh—sure!”
The teacher finished arranging the seats and left.
Instantly, the classroom burst into chatter — except for the area around Mu Nan.
It was eerily silent, like a bubble of calm.
Mu Nan shifted uncomfortably, scooting to the edge of her seat.
Behind her, Xiao Xin kept poking her in the back with a pen.
She leaned back toward Xiao Xin’s desk, whispering, “You know her?”
Mu Nan shook her head.
Like hell I do…