Wagging My Tail in the Ice Queen CEO’s Embrace - Chapter 26

“Let’s go have lunch.” Seeing Ming Ying standing motionless in place, Fu Anyu casually set the tablet on the bed, bent down, and scooped up the fox.

She hadn’t taken two steps when she heard Ming Ying call out to her: “Fu Anyu, you still haven’t answered me…”

“Answer what?” Fu Anyu asked.

“Do you also like that novel, which is why you copied it out?” Ming Ying asked. “That one… the one I just showed you, called,”

“I used to like it,” Fu Anyu cut her off, not letting her say the full title of the novel.

“This novel is quite interesting, but the author stopped updating,” Ming Ying said regretfully. “It’s been five years since the last update. Do you think she’ll come back?”

She was purely trying to make conversation, hoping to chat with Fu Anyu, but Fu Anyu replied without hesitation: “No.”

Ming Ying was at a loss for words. After a few seconds of silence, she managed to ask, “Why?”

“For you demon kind, five years may indeed be nothing,” Fu Anyu explained. “But human lives are short; a lifetime may not have many five-year spans. Moreover, five years is enough for too many variables to occur. Even if the author is safe and sound, she may no longer have the energy to create a story. Family, work, career, too many factors can become constraints.”

Ming Ying nodded, only half-understanding. Then it occurred to her that if that author were like Fu Anyu, going out to work every day, leaving early and returning late, taking a shower after coming home, and having to sleep after just a bit of time on her phone, then indeed there would be no time or energy left to conceive an interesting story.

She fell silent again, and it wasn’t until Fu Anyu carried her to the dining table that she said quietly, “I just think it’s such a pity.”

Fu Anyu didn’t speak, waiting for her to continue.

“Before whatever happened occurred, that author must have been a very carefree person,” Ming Ying said. “But now, who knows what she’s encountered that she can’t even continue telling her story.”

Fu Anyu sighed softly, rubbed the fox’s head, and asked, “Do you like the stories she wrote?”

“I do!” Ming Ying replied gloomily. “It’s because I like them that I feel it’s such a pity…”

“There’s a saying in the human world,” Fu Anyu said. “Excellent people can shine and excel no matter where they go. Since you like her, you should believe that she can both write good stories and live her life well.”

Ming Ying was taken aback, then nodded. “You’re right.”

Just then, Du Yunxin came out carrying a tray of food and, upon hearing this, was also startled, not understanding why President Fu was suddenly dispensing inspirational advice.

Come to think of it, she found President Fu’s recent behavior increasingly hard to understand. Ever since the little fox grew a new tail, President Fu had dismissed the only housekeeper, amended the contract, tripled her salary, and tasked her with cleaning and looking after the living things in the house.

Even though demons could live alongside humans in this society, and even if the little fox really was some great demon of mysterious origins, they could have just explained things to the housekeeper and paid her enough hush money. There was really no need to dismiss her.

Though she had thought this, Du Yunxin would gladly stay here as a worker for life.

For this lunch, true to her word, Fu Anyu did not feed Ming Ying before her bath, merely filling her plate with all the dishes she liked to eat.

Although Ming Ying breathed a sigh of relief, she couldn’t help but bring up the matter of transforming into human form with Fu Anyu. “When will you have time to assist me with the ritual?”

“After the conference in the neighboring city,” Fu Anyu replied. “Don’t rush.”

“How can I not rush!” Ming Ying grumbled, swaying the tail dangling off the edge of the table unhappily. “I want to sit and eat like you all do too.”

The spirit-control device on her paw jingled along with her movements.

“If I’m not free, you can’t transform either,” Fu Anyu reminded her calmly.

Ming Ying wilted, resignedly lowering her head to nibble on the braised pork ribs.

Back when she had transformed before, aside from her clansmen guarding the ritual, she had also taken many spirit medicines and worn protective talismans to minimize the pain. Now, in the human world, forget protective talismans—it would be a miracle to find even one spirit medicine that could protect her meridians.

She had thought that with sufficient spiritual power, transforming would be easy. She never expected the path to human form to be so arduous.

Better to focus on manifesting the rest of her tails first. After all, she now had the spirit-control device and didn’t have to worry about drawing stares from passersby when going out with too many tails.

With this thought, after finishing her meal, Ming Ying hopped off the chair, gave her tail a shake, directly manifesting two more to make three, and tossed out, “I’m going to gather spiritual energy,” before darting up the stairs like a shot.

As for her tails, since she had them, it was more comfortable to let them out.

Du Yunxin stared blankly at the staircase before turning to ask, “President Fu, didn’t you say yesterday that she shouldn’t gather spiritual energy these couple of days?”

“Let her be. It’s fine,” Fu Anyu said, taking a sip of soup unhurriedly. “I’ve added extra protective measures for her.”

If the pain-fearing little fox wasn’t saying anything, there was no reason for her to stop it.

By dusk, Ming Ying emerged from the guest room refreshed after gathering spiritual energy and followed the scent of pastries downstairs.

Although Du Yunxin had said she would make jasmine flower cakes, her pastry skills were truly lacking. She had ruined one batch in the morning, but the flower cakes baked in the afternoon at least smelled somewhat right.

Ming Ying used her spiritual power to lift a warm flower cake, floating it near her mouth to blow on it, thinking how she hadn’t thought to use spiritual power to handle objects last night or at lunch today, how embarrassing for a fox.

Once it had cooled enough, she took a small bite. After just two chews, she couldn’t help exclaiming, “It’s too sweet! Way too sweet!”

“Ah? But I followed the recipe’s measurements exactly!” Du Yunxin hurriedly took a bite herself, frowned at the overwhelming sweetness, and covered her face in dismay.

“Don’t tell me this is Xiao Chen’s preference,” Ming Ying said, using her spiritual power to bring over a glass of milk and crumbling the flower cake into it. “Be nicer to her! This is seriously too sweet. I am definitely not having a second piece!”

“Wahh, I’ll do better with the next batch…” Du Yunxin fake-sobbed while struggling to finish the flower cake with the help of the milk.

True to her word, Ming Ying didn’t have a second piece. She forced down the first one, drank the milk, then curled up on the chair, tucking her paws in as she watched Du Yunxin bustling about.

“If you want to give her pastries, why not just buy some from outside?” she asked.

“The meaning is different!” Du Yunxin waved a hand. “Making them by hand shows sincerity and affection.”

“Even if you buy really expensive pastries?”

“Of course not!” Du Yunxin shook her head. “If Yanxue found out I spent a lot on snacks for her, she’d definitely return them untouched. But the treats I make myself—she finishes every time.”

Ming Ying was utterly astonished. “The pastries you make are so unpalatable, how does she manage to finish them every time?”

“Ah! Lady Fox Immortal, could you please stop being so sarcastic! Spare me some dignity!” Du Yunxin wailed. “Just think of it as a little hobby between the couple, alright?”

Ming Ying was even more bewildered. What kind of hobby involved tormenting one’s taste buds?!

After a moment’s thought, she asked, “Then, do other people eat them? For example, would Fu Anyu eat them?”

“How would I dare give these to President Fu!” Du Yunxin’s survival instincts instantly kicked in. “I can’t risk my salary like that!”

“Oh? Then you dare give them to me?” Ming Ying snorted lightly, arching her body with her three tails poised aggressively. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll get angry after eating them and lose my temper with you?”

She deliberately released her spiritual energy, causing Du Yunxin’s ponytail to float mid-air.

But Du Yunxin showed no fear, instead smiling as she said, “Actually, I was scared of you at first. When President Fu introduced you, she said you were a great demon from who-knows-where with an unknown background, and told me not to talk to you if possible. As an ordinary person, of course I listened to whatever President Fu said.”

“And now?” Ming Ying retracted her spiritual energy and aggressive stance, stretching her tails as she waited for the rest.

“I don’t feel scared anymore.” Du Yunxin tentatively reached out her hand. Seeing that Ming Ying didn’t retreat, she gently patted her head. “No matter what great demon you were before, now you’re just President Fu’s little fox.”

The phrase “President Fu’s little fox” made Ming Ying’s heart skip a beat. She swatted Du Yunxin’s hand away with her tail and said irritably, “What nonsense! Who said I’m her fox!”

Just then, she suddenly recalled how the CEO in novels would refer to their lover as “my little fox.” Her cheeks burned, and the room suddenly felt stifling. She jumped off the chair and dashed toward the front yard to get some fresh air.

But just as she reached the door, it swung open.

Fu Anyu walked in carrying her laptop bag. Looking down to see the fox standing frozen at the doorway with three tails dragging behind her, she found the sight inexplicably comical. After a moment’s pause, she couldn’t help but crouch down and pick her up.

“Want to go outside and play?” Fu Anyu asked, looking down at her.

Ming Ying had only wanted to go outside to cool down. Caught off guard by suddenly being held in Fu Anyu’s arms, the heat from her cheeks spread throughout her entire fox head. She instantly felt like she was about to suffocate from the warmth.

Not receiving a response, Fu Anyu noticed Ming Ying squinting her eyes, her body going limp. Worried, she set down the laptop bag and felt the fox’s head, it was unusually warm. Frowning, she called out, “Xiao Du, bring the ear thermometer.”

“No ear thermometer!” Ming Ying said weakly. “It’s just the old shyness illness. Put me down and let me walk outside for a bit, I’ll be fine.”

“Shyness illness?” Fu Anyu didn’t understand.

“Xiao Du said I’m your little fox,” Ming Ying explained hurriedly, terrified of the ear thermometer. “I’m thin-skinned and can’t handle hearing things like that, so, I got shy and ended up like this”

Fu Anyu raised an eyebrow. Seeing Du Yunxin jogging over with the ear thermometer, she sighed and scolded helplessly, “Don’t joke around with Ming Ying like that from now on. She might misunderstand.”

“Okay, got it!” Du Yunxin quickly agreed. “Do you still need the ear thermometer?”

“No need, you can go attend to your duties.” After saying this, Fu Anyu carried the fox straight to the backyard.

The jasmine flowers in the backyard had been steamed by the summer heat, releasing a faint, unique wine-like fragrance. As the pair arrived, the rich floral scent still enveloped the entire courtyard.

“Have you been here before?” Fu Anyu asked. Seeing the fox nod, she carried her over to the swing. “Have you ever sat on a swing?”

Ming Ying originally intended to say “I have,” but the words took a turn as they reached her lips: “How would I dare to sit on a swing alone!”