How Could I Possibly Have a Daughter After Reincarnating?

“Today, we really owe it all to little brother Chu Feng~” 

Zhou Xiaoxiao smiled as she handed over the freshly brewed cup of red tea. She loved it whenever Chu Feng came to help out; most of the customers flocked to him, and she got to sit back, relax, make tea, and tend to the bar—life couldn’t get much easier.

“Absolutely, absolutely. If it weren’t for Chu Feng, I’d probably have to listen to that nagging, persistent customer all day,” Ling Ning said with a grin.

“N-no, it’s not like that~” Chu Feng touched his nose, embarrassed by the praise. On top of everything, he’d even made a friend today, and they’d arranged to meet at a convention in a month and a half… Wait! Should he go dressed as a boy or as a girl? It dawned on him that Zhao Dezhu probably didn’t know he was a guy. What should he do?

“Here’s the cream cake I promised you. Since you did such a good job today, it’s been upgraded from the large size to an extra-large.” Chu Mengyao placed an enormous slice of cream cake in front of Chu Feng.

“Long live my big sister!” Chu Feng’s eyes sparkled as he gazed at the cake. He grabbed a fork and immediately began savoring it. As for whether to wear a dress or a suit to the convention—well, he still had a month and a half to decide. He’d cross that bridge when he got there.

Watching Chu Feng dig into the cream cake, Ling Ning got the feeling she’d seen that cake somewhere before. Wasn’t it the same one that hadn’t sold and had been sitting in the fridge for a while? Could it really still be edible? Ling Ning shot a suspicious glance at Chu Mengyao—after all, this was her real brother.

Seeing Ling Ning’s expression, Chu Mengyao walked over to her side and whispered, “It’s fine; it’s been in the fridge, so it shouldn’t be spoiled… probably. It’d be such a waste to just throw it out. Might as well make the most of it.”

“Are you two really siblings?” Ling Ning asked incredulously.

“Of course we are—truer than pearls!” Chu Mengyao replied with a grin.

The fact that Chu Feng had grown up with a sister like Chu Mengyao and still turned out the way he did—it was nothing short of a miracle.

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“I’ve got something to do today, so I’m heading out.” 

As soon as the shift ended, Ye Xuan quickly informed Ling Ning before rushing out the door. She’d already changed her clothes ahead of time to save herself from any delays.

“Alright, take care on your way,” Ling Ning called after her.

Ling Ning watched Ye Xuan’s retreating figure with some curiosity. Lately, Ye Xuan had been acting strange, almost secretive, and she’d been on her phone a lot more often. Considering Ye Xuan was never the type to be glued to her phone, Ling Ning couldn’t help but wonder if she’d gotten hooked on some pay-to-win mobile game.

Shaking her head to dispel those wild thoughts, Ling Ning turned back inside. After carefully checking every corner of the shop, she also prepared to change and head home.

When she entered the changing room, she found Xia You was there as well. Normally, this wouldn’t have been noteworthy, but what Ling Ning saw made her pause—Xia You’s arms and back were covered in bruises and scars, stark and shocking.

“Let me see!”

“I… I’m fine.” 

Xia You tried to stop her, but in her injured state, she was no match for Ling Ning, who easily pinned her against the locker.

“How did you get these injuries?” Ling Ning asked, gently tracing the scars on Xia You’s skin, her voice filled with concern.

Feeling Ling Ning’s fingers lightly touching her wounds, Xia You experienced a rush of emotions that she couldn’t quite name, making it difficult for her to speak clearly. “T-these… I fell down yesterday, by accident,” she stammered. Even she didn’t believe her own words.

“Oh, really? You ‘fell’ and got belt marks like these?” Ling Ning scoffed. She knew these marks well—they looked exactly like the ones her father had left on her when she was young and misbehaved.

Xia You opened her mouth to say something but eventually lowered her head, choosing to stay silent.

“If you don’t want to talk about it, then forget it.” Ling Ning turned and left the changing room.

Watching Ling Ning walk away, Xia You suddenly felt a tightness in her chest, her nose stinging. Despite how much Ling Ning obviously cared, she still couldn’t bring herself to be honest with her. 

“Maybe someone like me just doesn’t deserve friends,” Xia You whispered, a bitter smile on her face.

Just then, the door to the changing room opened again, and Ling Ning walked back in, carrying a small first aid kit.

“Why did you put your clothes back on? Hurry up and take them off!” Ling Ning said, frowning. She couldn’t believe that in the short time she was gone, Xia You had already dressed herself again.

“Huh!?”

Xia You stared blankly at Ling Ning, not knowing what to do.

“Huh what? I noticed some spots where your skin was broken. If we don’t treat it, it’ll leave scars,” Ling Ning said while rummaging through the first aid kit.

“Wait, are you crying?” 

As soon as Ling Ning gathered the supplies she needed, she noticed that Xia You was crying. This was the worst-case scenario for her—she was terrible at dealing with crying girls. Panicking, Ling Ning instinctively pulled Xia You into an embrace, gently stroking her soft hair while murmuring words of comfort, just as she would when comforting Ling Ye.

Perhaps it was Ling Ning’s hug that did the trick; Xia You’s sobs gradually quieted down. Feeling the wetness against her chest, Ling Ning suddenly felt grateful that she hadn’t changed into her own clothes yet.

“Alright, it’s okay now. Come on, take off your clothes. I’ll help you apply the medicine, alright?” Ling Ning spoke in the same soothing tone she used with Ling Ye.

Xia You nodded, slowly undressing again. As she moved, her face contorted in pain, clearly affected by her injuries.

“When I apply the medicine, it might sting a bit, so bear with it, okay?”

“Mm… ah!”

Though Xia You tried to brace herself, the sharp pain still made her cry out. Fortunately, the areas with broken skin weren’t extensive; otherwise, Xia You would have been in for an even rougher time.

“It was my dad who did this.”

Ling Ning was startled to hear Xia You suddenly speak up while she was treating her wounds.

“When I was little, my mom left with someone else, leaving only me and my dad. I remember her saying she was going out to buy me a birthday present that day… but she never came back. After that, my dad was never the same—he drowned himself in alcohol every day. Ow…” Ling Ning’s focus had been on Xia You’s story, causing her to accidentally apply too much pressure.

“Sorry about that,” Ling Ning said, giving an awkward smile.

“I guess… I look more and more like my mom, and it upsets him every time he sees me.” Xia You gave a bitter laugh, a deep sense of resignation behind her smile.

“Alright, let the medicine dry before you put your clothes back on.” As she applied the treatment, Ling Ning noticed that Xia You’s body was covered in scars from previous injuries. Clearly, this wasn’t the first time she’d experienced domestic violence.

“Okay~”

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Author’s Note:

Without clicks, favorites, recommendations, votes, or tips, this salted fish has no motivation at all~