Wagging My Tail in the Ice Queen CEO’s Embrace - Chapter 37

Ming Ying never expected that the moment she entertained the fleeting thought of wanting to establish a closer bond with Fu Anyu, Fu Anyu would take the initiative to forge that very connection.

And not just any bond, it was the most intimate kind: “family.”

Even if it was only temporary, Ming Ying was deeply moved by this gesture.

After filling out the forms, Fu Anyu clicked “submit.” Ming Ying peeked at the young woman across the desk and noticed her expression shift to one of shock, likely upon seeing the “temporary family” section. For some reason, this inexplicably made Ming Ying happy.

Once the formalities were completed, Fu Anyu carried the fox out of the office.

Ever since their temporary bond was established, Ming Ying had been in high spirits. Even when Fu Anyu stepped into the glaring sunlight, she merely squinted contentedly, her fluffy tail wagging nonstop beneath her.

Chen Yanxue was already waiting outside the Bureau with a parasol. Spotting the pair, she hurried over to shield them, casting a surprised glance at Ming Ying.

“Let’s go to the dessert shop near the Bureau’s entrance,” Fu Anyu instructed.

Chen Yanxue nodded silently and followed alongside them as they left the Bureau’s work area.

The shop, located close to the Bureau, was accustomed to serving supernatural beings. When Fu Anyu walked in with the fox in her arms, the staff greeted them as they would any other customers.

“Welcome to Xiyan Desserts!”

“What would you like to try? We have freshly baked mango pies and strawberry cream puffs~”

“The snow-skin mooncakes and tapioca mochi are also delicious!”

“Choose whatever you want,” Fu Anyu said, stopping in front of the display case and looking down at Ming Ying.

Ming Ying had never seen so many beautiful desserts arranged together before. Overwhelmed by the dazzling array, she finally settled on a cake that was half pink and half dark green, with the pink side topped with strawberries.

Fu Anyu signaled a staff member to retrieve the cake. While waiting for it to be packaged, she ordered a matcha latte for herself.

“Here’s your strawberry-matcha cake and matcha latte,” the cashier said, swiftly tapping on the screen. “That’ll be 288 yuan.”

Entranced by the sweet aroma, Ming Ying watched as Fu Anyu pulled out her phone and aimed it at a black-and-white grid pattern on the counter.

“What’s that?” Ming Ying asked curiously.

“It’s a payment QR code,” the cashier explained with a smile. “The black-and-white pattern you see is called a QR code.”

Ming Ying nodded, committing the new term to memory, and resolved to look it up later on her tablet.

With one arm cradling the fox and the other holding the cake and drink, Fu Anyu stepped outside.

Chen Yanxue had already pulled the car around. As soon as Fu Anyu emerged, she pressed the button to open the doors automatically.

The outdoor temperature had begun to rise, and the moment Ming Ying entered the car, she was greeted by a refreshing blast of cool air. Once the doors closed, she sighed contentedly. “Air conditioning is such a marvelous invention!”

Fu Anyu’s lips curved slightly as she added, “So are refrigerators.”

She held up the bag containing the iced matcha latte, letting it hover near the fox for a couple of seconds.

Ming Ying hadn’t anticipated this sudden move. With a startled “Ack!” she scrambled to the far corner of the seat, staring at Fu Anyu in disbelief.

Had the ice-queen CEO’s persona just crumbled? Since when did she start teasing foxes with chilled drinks?!

But then she noticed the faint smile on Fu Anyu’s face, she seemed to be in a good mood. Ming Ying’s spirits lifted in turn, and she scooted back over, tentatively extending her injured paw to touch the cold cup.

“Ow!” she yelped dramatically, quickly retracting her paw.

“It’s so cold! Are humans outside the Bureau this extravagant too?” she asked.

In the fox kingdom’s royal city, ice was still a luxury, stored in underground cellars and reserved for the nine-tailed nobility.

“With a refrigerator, you can make ice anytime,” Fu Anyu said, shaking her cup. Ming Ying watched as uniform ice cubes floated in the dark green liquid.

Ming Ying thought for a moment. “Does the fridge at home make ice too? Can I have iced water or milk whenever I want?”

“Yes,” Fu Anyu nodded. “But we don’t have any stored right now. If you want a cold drink, just let Xiao Du know in advance.”

Delighted, Ming Ying even wrapped her tail around the cup.

“Not afraid of the cold anymore?” Fu Anyu teased.

“It’s fine as long as I don’t touch it directly,” Ming Ying replied earnestly.

Back home, Ming Ying watched eagerly as Fu Anyu unwrapped the cake and cut a small piece of the dark green portion for her.

Ming Ying eyed the tiny slice on the plate, thinking it was far too small, especially when the cake itself was so large. Why had Fu Anyu given her such a meager portion?

But Fu Anyu was busy enjoying her drink, so Ming Ying didn’t want to disturb her. Resigned, she popped the entire piece into her mouth.

The next second, her eyes widened as if she’d just ingested poison. She leapt to the floor, barely steadying herself before rushing to the trash can to spit it out.

“How can it be so bitter?!” she wailed after emptying her mouth. “This shop sells spoiled food?!”

Before she could finish, Fu Anyu crouched in front of her, offering a new plate.

“Try this,” Fu Anyu said.

Ming Ying licked her lips and looked down. On the plate was a pink triangular slice of cake, topped with a fresh strawberry.

Realizing it was the other half of the cake, she glanced at Fu Anyu, mustered her courage, and ate the strawberry first. The sweet, fresh flavor reassured her enough to try the cake beneath.

To her surprise, this cake was sweet, a delicate, lingering sweetness that made her want more. Each bite carried a light strawberry fragrance that complemented, rather than overpowered, the cake’s rich flavor.

“Matcha cake is supposed to be bitter,” Fu Anyu explained calmly as Ming Ying sat stunned. “Some people like it, others don’t. That’s why I only gave you a tiny piece.”

Ming Ying silently thanked her for the small portion, that one bite had nearly been her undoing.

Fu Anyu cut the remaining strawberry cake into smaller pieces for Ming Ying, then divided the matcha cake into five portions, savoring them slowly with her latte.

Ming Ying nibbled on her strawberry cake, watching in awe as Fu Anyu ate the matcha cake without flinching. Her gaze then drifted to the drink in Fu Anyu’s hand.

Wait, that was matcha too.

Ming Ying’s curiosity about Fu Anyu deepened. To her, matcha was purely bitter, as unpalatable as herbal medicine. How could Fu Anyu eat and drink it with such enjoyment?

As they enjoyed the cake, Du Yunxin cleaned nearby. Ming Ying had something on her mind, so she deliberately ate slowly, waiting until Du Yunxin left the room before whispering to Fu Anyu, “So… I’m your temporary family now?”

“Yes,” Fu Anyu replied, setting down her fork after finishing the last bite of matcha cake. “You can stay as my family until you return to the demon realm.”

“Then can I call you meimei (little sister)?” Ming Ying wagged her tail happily, stunning Fu Anyu with the question.

Recovering, Fu Anyu flatly refused. “No.”

“I’m over two hundred years older than you!” Ming Ying insisted earnestly. “By age, I should be your dajie (big sister).”

She was shamelessly pushing her luck, but Fu Anyu’s outright rejection didn’t faze her much. Still, she wanted to negotiate. “A big sister should take care of her little sister. If you agree, I’ll learn to look after and protect you!”

“No need,” Fu Anyu shook her head, half-teasing, half-serious. “You can’t even take care of yourself. How would you take care of me?”

Ming Ying was stumped. She fumbled for a retort but came up empty.

It was true, since arriving in the human realm, she’d relied entirely on Fu Anyu and Xiao Du. Without them, she wouldn’t even have hot meals, let alone treatment for her leg and burns.

With her spiritual power gone, her human form unstable, and no knowledge of the human world, she could barely manage herself.

Seeing Ming Ying’s ears droop dejectedly, Fu Anyu scooped her up and ruffled her fluffy fur.

“If you want a sister, I can be yours,” she said gently.

Ming Ying was silent for a long moment before answering solemnly, “I’d like that.”

Since childhood, she’d lived carefree, rarely feeling inadequate. But ever since meeting Fu Anyu, she’d begun reflecting on her past.

Where had those three hundred years gone?

Her reluctance to acknowledge Fu Anyu as her elder stemmed from being the youngest princess of the nine-tailed clan, pampered and indulged, never forced to learn. But Fu Anyu was different. If she slacked off, Fu Anyu would even scold her with a stern face and a hint of spiritual pressure.

She realized that learning from someone so capable would help her improve quickly.

She wasn’t a foolish fox, just lazy and unchallenged.

These thoughts flashed through her mind in an instant. The moment she said “I’d like that,” before Fu Anyu could respond, she obediently called out, “Jiejie (big sister).”

When she behaved, her voice was soft and sweet, laced with a hint of coquetry. Her fluffy tail swayed, splitting into three as it brushed against Fu Anyu’s leg.

Caught off guard by the sudden “Jiejie,” Fu Anyu froze for a few seconds before regaining her composure. Her gaze softened as she looked at the fox in her arms.

“Calling me Jiejie makes you this clingy?” she asked.

Ming Ying felt a little embarrassed, but meeting Fu Anyu’s eyes, she shyly admitted, “Mhm.”

Though she had several older sisters at home, Fu Anyu was the only one younger than her. Ming Ying had always adored clinging to her sisters, this was no exception.