Wagging My Tail in the Ice Queen CEO’s Embrace - Chapter 46

After making Fu Anyu’s rice noodles, Du Yunxin went to wash Ming Ying’s clothes, leaving only one person and one fox in the spacious dining room.

Ming Ying had never seen such an unreasonable Fu Anyu before. She was so full of anger that she had no appetite. She simply pulled out a chair and sat opposite Fu Anyu, staring at her as she ate.

“Still not full?” Fu Anyu asked between bites.

Ming Ying let out a soft hum, not wanting to speak to her for the moment.

Halfway through her meal, Fu Anyu got up, fetched a can of peach yogurt from the refrigerator, and placed it in front of Ming Ying along with a spoon.

“Eating more fruit helps with recovery,” she said. “Once you no longer need to take medicine, you can try eating spicy food as much as you like.”

“You said it yourself.” Ming Ying finally spoke up. She picked up the yogurt, examined it from all sides, tore off the seal according to the instructions on the packaging, scooped a large spoonful, and stuffed it into her mouth indignantly.

Fu Anyu continued slurping her noodles, watching as the little fox’s eyes lit up. Spoonful after spoonful, Ming Ying shoveled the yogurt and peach chunks into her mouth, swallowing them almost without chewing. Fu Anyu narrowed her eyes slightly.

“At seven o’clock the day after tomorrow, we’re going to a café in the city center,” she said. “You’ll definitely like the desserts at that café.”

Having just seen the message Hu Xiuliu sent, Ming Ying immediately became alert at the mention of “café.”

“Why are we suddenly going to a café?” she asked, feigning ignorance. “Did that ‘sack man’ really invite you?”

“You’re quick at giving people nicknames,” Fu Anyu chuckled. “Yes, it was indeed him who invited me.”

“Can’t you go by yourself?” Ming Ying grumbled. “Why take me along? Aren’t you afraid he’ll stuff me into a sack and steal me away?”

“Even if he has the intention, he wouldn’t dare,” Fu Anyu replied before taking a sip of the soup, which instantly stained her lips a bright red.

Hearing this, Ming Ying felt an inexplicable sense of security, but she still didn’t want to go. Mainly because she knew Dr. He would also be there, and she didn’t want to see him smiling brightly at Fu Anyu the entire time. So, she made an excuse for herself: “I don’t have any clothes suitable for going out yet! And I’m shy around strangers. They’re your classmates, not mine.”

Since she was unwilling to go, Fu Anyu didn’t press her. After finishing the remaining thick noodles, she got up and took the bowl and chopsticks to the sink.

Ming Ying, still thinking about the outfit she had picked out, finished her peach yogurt and ran off to watch Du Yunxin wash clothes.

The material of that outfit was special and couldn’t be tossed into the washing machine. By the time Ming Ying arrived, Du Yunxin was already handwashing it while humming a little tune.

Ming Ying stood beside her, watching her wash clothes and listening to her sing. She sincerely praised, “You sing really well.”

“Oh my, the fox immortal is so good at giving compliments!” Du Yunxin laughed. “I’m just humming, not even singing properly! What, you want to hear me sing?”

“I do,” Ming Ying nodded.

To please her, Du Yunxin sang an ancient-style song.

“As dusk falls, I gaze at the slanting sun at the horizon, vaguely recalling your face…”

The song was originally an insert song from a tragic ancient costume drama, and both the melody and lyrics carried a sense of sorrow.

Ming Ying had a low tolerance for sadness. After hearing just a few lines, she felt her heart ache and her nose begin to tingle. But she wanted to hear the entire song, so she held back her tears.

When it came to the high-pitched part, Du Yunxin stopped, cleared her throat, and said, “I usually can’t hit this part very well. I’ll play the original song for you later.”

Ming Ying nodded, only half-understanding. She blinked, and the tears she had been holding back for so long finally fell. Before Du Yunxin noticed, she quickly wiped them away.

Du Yunxin quickly finished washing a set of clothes and hung them out to dry under the sun.

“You haven’t been here before, have you?” Du Yunxin raised a hand to shield her eyes from the sunlight and asked Ming Ying. “It’s too hot right now, but you can come here at dusk to watch the sunset. The view is amazing.”

After a moment’s thought, she cheekily added, “Why not invite President Fu along? She hasn’t stepped out all day. People need to get a little sun every day, you know.”

Ming Ying agreed with this sentiment. Back when she was at home, her mother often shooed her outside to soak up some sunlight.

Fu Anyu had no idea that she was already being thoroughly planned out by the “conspicuous scheming duo.” When Ming Ying returned to the bedroom, she found Fu Anyu sitting on the bed again, a laptop table in front of her, playing Inuyasha.

“Aren’t you going to gather spiritual energy?” Ming Ying walked over and asked.

“I’ll take an hour’s break first, then resume,” Fu Anyu replied.

Even though she had already exceeded her usual sleep time today, when naptime rolled around, she was accustomed to taking a break from any serious tasks.

“Can I join you to watch?” Ming Ying asked, itching with curiosity as she heard Kagome and Inuyasha’s voices.

Fu Anyu, her attention entirely on the screen, nodded but reminded her, “I’ve watched a bit more since last time, so it might not match your progress.”

“That’s fine.” Ming Ying took off her shoes, climbed onto the bed, grabbed the Shiba Inu pillow to prop herself up, and watched with keen interest.

Fu Anyu was very punctual. The moment her naptime alarm went off, she closed the media player.

Ming Ying, who had been at the most critical part of the plot, was caught off guard when the sound and visuals vanished. She couldn’t help but sigh in disappointment. Still, she knew Fu Anyu would resume gathering spiritual energy next, so she obediently climbed off the bed, walked over to the small spirit-gathering array, sat cross-legged, and waited for Fu Anyu to join her.

As soon as she sat down, it suddenly struck her that she had completely forgotten to apologize. But Fu Anyu had just finished watching Inuyasha and seemed to be in a very good mood. Apologizing now would only spoil the moment and undoubtedly ruin Fu Anyu’s cheerful state.

Ming Ying’s gaze followed Fu Anyu, and in the end, she swallowed back the apology she had been dwelling on.

Unexpectedly, after sitting down, Fu Anyu brought it up herself: “You mentioned earlier that this spirit-gathering array was often used by your parents?”

“Y-yes,” Ming Ying stammered, unsure why she was suddenly asking. “My mother’s health has never been very good. After their marriage, whenever she cultivated, my father would set up these two arrays and sit on the smaller one to watch over her. Later, when my father cultivated, my mother would do the same for him.”

She tried to recall how long this had gone on. “They kept this up for five or six hundred years, so I’m certain this array is very safe.”

A subtle shift crossed Fu Anyu’s eyes. She hadn’t expected the little fox to use her parents as an example just to reassure her that the setup was safe and she could cultivate without worry.

“I’m sorry about earlier, I forgot again that I shouldn’t mention family in front of you.” Ming Ying finally seized the opportunity to apologize.

“Feel free to talk about them. I don’t mind,” Fu Anyu shook her head. “Having family to remember is a good thing.”

“I’m sorry!” Ming Ying, sensing the hidden sorrow in her voice, hurriedly apologized again. “I won’t do it next time.”

“I’ve always been curious, what kind of foxes are your family members, really?” Fu Anyu cut in. “There’s a saying in the human world: ‘No family is as heartless as the imperial one.’ You were born into royalty, yet you’re incredibly naive. Is it because your siblings are harmonious, or is it due to your parents’ upbringing?”

“Me?” Ming Ying was caught off guard by the question. She thought back to her carefree life of over three hundred years but couldn’t pinpoint the exact reason.

“Maybe it’s because Father and Mother assigned tasks to my older siblings, but I haven’t reached the age to take on such responsibilities yet, so no one has treated me poorly?” she ventured. “Isn’t it the same for human children? I’ve read that human children, once they’re old enough to remember things, go to elementary school, then middle school, high school, and university. Generally, they’re only expected to work after graduating from university.”

She paused. “I think my clan probably follows similar rules.”

It wasn’t that she didn’t have responsibilities, she just hadn’t reached the age to shoulder them yet.

Like when her mother had come to discuss marriage with her. Reflecting on it now, that was likely one of the responsibilities she was meant to bear, marrying an outstanding male fox from the clan and giving birth to pure-blooded nine-tailed descendants.

“If I hadn’t left home and obediently followed Mother’s arrangements, I’d probably be married to my fiancé by now,” Ming Ying said with a bitter smile. “But I don’t want that kind of life. Earlier, Xiao Du mentioned that in the human world, there’s no arranged marriage. You can fall in love with whomever you like.”

She lowered her gaze and tightened the bow on the bandage. “Actually, I envy many customs in the human world. I’ve even thought about staying here. But, I’m the princess of the nine-tailed clan. If even I refuse to take on the responsibility of bearing offspring, my clansmen will be even less willing. Over time, more and more will resist, and sooner or later, it’ll affect Father’s rule.”

“But you don’t like it,” Fu Anyu said.

“Indeed, not only do I not like it, I strongly reject it,” Ming Ying nodded, placing her left hand on her abdomen, her cheeks flushing. “I… I can’t imagine new life growing inside me. I find it terrifying. And I don’t think I can be like Mother, dedicating all my energy to nurturing and caring for a young one.”

Her voice grew softer. “I can’t even take care of myself properly, how could I possibly care for a young one who knows nothing?”

“You don’t have to feel guilty because of your identity,” Fu Anyu responded. “In the human world, there are many married couples who choose not to have children. It’s not strange for you to feel this way. You’re just constrained by your race, with no real choice.”

After saying this, she remembered the little fox had already left home and corrected herself: “No, you’ve actually made your own choice.”

And paid the price.

The two fell into silence. Every time Ming Ying brought up this topic, she would think of her family waiting for her return, and her anxiety would grow.

Yet, even now, she had no idea how to return to the demon realm.

The messenger talisman birds her parents had left her had shattered completely on the very day she arrived in the human world. She had originally carried many magical artifacts and a storage jade pendant, but they had all been lost in the forests of the demon realm during her escape from pursuit.

Ming Ying thought for a moment, then suddenly shifted closer to Fu Anyu again, actively tucking all four of her fox tails into Fu Anyu’s arms.

“I want to make another choice while I’m still in the human realm,” she said, her face flushed. “You promised earlier to let me see your body, and now I… I’ll allow you to touch my tails.”