How Could I Possibly Have a Daughter After Reincarnating?

Shen Shi felt like his heart had been shattered. After silently admiring his “goddess” Ling Ning for over a month, he was devastated to witness her in a romantic situation with another girl—and with his own eyes, no less. The impact was overwhelming.

To catch a glimpse of Ling Ning’s sleeping face, he’d even turned down chances to play Overwatch with his buddies at lunch. He’d go to great lengths to reach the school’s resting area just to see her, but what did he find? His beloved goddess kissing another “goddess.” Shen Shi felt as if his world had come crashing down, the earth splitting beneath his feet, his dreams turning to dust.

Though the scene of the two of them together was beautiful, his heart ached with an indescribable sadness.

“Bai Xuejia! Life is so unfair!” Shen Shi cried, suddenly grabbing his friend Bai Xuejia and sobbing uncontrollably.

Bai Xuejia gave him a sympathetic smile and gently held him, saying, “I know that feeling—the first time you like someone, someone who you can imagine being close to, someone who brings you happiness. It should have been a dream come true… but why did it turn out this way?”

The mage standing nearby watched the two men hugging each other and shook his head. What tragic souls, he thought. One had a goddess who loved other girls, while the other loved his best friend. Truly, this world was madness! Better to be single and carefree, like himself.

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“Have you heard? Li Qian and Ling Ning are apparently a couple!”

“What?! Are you serious? Who told you that? I… I’m oddly excited just hearing about it. Oh no, I think I’m drooling.”

“Of course it’s true! I heard that a few days ago after school, someone saw them in the classroom, getting all lovey-dovey and even kissing!”

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Li Qian listened to the rumors with an expressionless face. Although most of what was said was true, she wasn’t actually into girls. That incident had just been an accident. She’d considered clarifying things, but every time she saw the strange looks people gave her, she couldn’t find the words to explain.

She glanced over at Ling Ning, who looked as indifferent as ever, as if the rumors were about someone else entirely.

Unable to contain herself, Li Qian walked over to Ling Ning and whispered, “Aren’t you going to say anything? People are talking like we’re in some kind of improper relationship.”

“Explain? Why should I bother explaining? The more you try to clarify something like this, the more people think you’re hiding the truth. The best approach is to ignore it and let it die down over time. Just make sure nothing happens in the meantime that could feed the rumors,” Ling Ning replied calmly. She’d been through situations like this plenty of times in her previous life, both with herself and others.

“Well… I guess that makes sense,” Li Qian conceded. Besides, what could she do about it? Unless she got herself a boyfriend…

Wait! Why not? If she started dating someone, wouldn’t that stop the rumors? She realized her own cleverness.

After all, she had plenty of admirers. Picking one to date shouldn’t be too hard. And if things went well, she could continue the relationship. If not, they could break up. Simple!

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“Are you really not involved with Li Qian?” Xu Qing asked Ling Ning worriedly after Li Qian walked away.

Sitting in the row behind them, Xia You leaned forward, her ears perked up to listen in.

“For the last time, it’s all just a misunderstanding. We just accidentally bumped into each other,” Ling Ning replied, unable to remember how many times she’d had to explain this.

“But what about the rumors about you two… um, kissing?” Xu Qing asked with a serious look.

“Kissing? That’s ridiculous! It must’ve looked that way to someone because of the angle. You know how in movies, a lot of kiss scenes are just trick shots, right?” Ling Ning replied, giving a masterful performance of sincerity.

Xu Qing seemed convinced, nodding as she looked into Ling Ning’s earnest eyes. It didn’t seem like she was lying.

With Xu Qing finally reassured, Ling Ning breathed a sigh of relief. Wait—why was she even explaining so much?

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Later, Ling Ning walked home with Xia You. Normally, Xia You would head straight to the subway near school to get home, but she chose to walk a bit farther to spend more time with Ling Ning.

“Oh, Xia You, has your dad been hitting you lately?” Ling Ning asked suddenly.

“Not… not really,” Xia You replied in a soft voice. “I’ve been adding a bit of sleeping medicine and sedatives to his drinks. So every time he drinks, he just wants to sleep. It’s been much quieter lately.” Of course, she kept that last part to herself.

“Really?” Ling Ning moved closer to Xia You, scanning her from head to toe. Since Xia You was fully dressed, it was hard to tell if there were any signs of injury, but from the outside, she looked unharmed.

Xia You, startled by Ling Ning’s close inspection, blushed deeply, unable to speak. If this were an anime, she’d probably have steam pouring out of her ears.

“Good, I’m glad. Oh, right!” Ling Ning suddenly remembered something, rummaging through her bag until she pulled out a small spray can and handed it to Xia You. “This is pepper spray. If your dad ever tries anything, just use this. I’ve used it before—it works well. Make sure to aim for the eyes!”

Xia You took the spray, barely able to stammer out a thank you before Ling Ning added, “If living with him gets too uncomfortable, you’re always welcome to stay at my place. Now that I’ve moved, it’s not as cramped as before.” Secretly, Ling Ning hoped Xia You would take her up on the offer; then she’d have someone to cuddle with at night.

“Th-thank you~” Xia You whispered. She had so much she wanted to say, but the words wouldn’t come out. In the end, all she managed was a simple “thank you.”

“Alright, I’m home now. Make sure you get home safely, okay?” Ling Ning waved as she turned into her apartment complex.

Xia You watched Ling Ning’s figure disappear around the corner before slowly turning to leave. She hugged the pepper spray close to her chest, imagining it still held Ling Ning’s warmth.

“Ling Ning…”

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Author’s Note:

Hello, dear readers! I’m back, revived by a lovely angel who brought this lazy fish back to life. Now I can happily (procrastinate on) writing again!