Wagging My Tail in the Ice Queen CEO’s Embrace - Chapter 81

Ming Ying was utterly terrified. Her fox ears perked up briefly before timidly drooping down again.

Would a Taoist priest who broke his vows eat a little fox?

She didn’t dare think about it, didn’t dare move, and couldn’t even speak. Swallowing hard, she sat frozen in place.

Suddenly, she realized she might be playing with fire.

Fu Anyu’s current calm, steady, and reserved demeanor was merely a mask she wore to deal with the outside world. As for her true nature, Ming Ying felt she hadn’t yet seen through it.

Mainly because Fu Anyu hid herself too well, refusing to reveal anything. Only on rare occasions would Ming Ying suddenly catch a glimpse of Fu Anyu’s hidden “true self.”

For instance, Fu Anyu could argue earnestly with her over a bowl of spicy noodles.

Or like now, Fu Anyu would initiate intimate contact, leaving her completely stunned.

In truth, once the “iceberg” melted, Fu Anyu was probably a lively and slightly mischievous girl, just like anyone else, someone who enjoyed watching cartoons, dressing up, gardening, and petting fluffy little foxes.

Thinking this, Ming Ying gradually relaxed. She transformed her fox ears back into human ears, reached out to hold Fu Anyu’s arm, and asked with a smile, “What does big sister want to do? Kiss me?”

Since Fu Anyu was being so forward, she couldn’t fall behind.

Although she was long accustomed to the little fox’s “blunt behavior,” this time, Fu Anyu was caught off guard.

The little fox wasn’t just being straightforward, she was speaking with the seductive nature inherent to fox demons.

Why had she thought she could compete with a fox demon in flirtation?

A miscalculation, she thought.

Now it was her turn to not know how to respond. Even though she had the little fox in her arms and held the initiative, she couldn’t possibly kiss her at this moment.

After a moment’s thought, she said seriously and solemnly, “Big sister is trying to flirt with you.”

Who knew she’d end up failing so spectacularly?

Realizing that Fu Anyu had taken her comment about “not being straightforward enough” to heart, Ming Ying felt her heartbeat quicken even more.

But on the surface, she maintained a calm smile and said, “Earlier, big sister asked me what I thought. I’ve thought about it, and I like it all, whether it’s the ‘icy cold beauty’ or the straightforward big sister you are now, I like them both.”

Warmth slowly spread across her cheeks. After speaking, she lowered her head in embarrassment, picked up her chopsticks to fish around in the pot, and plucked out a quail egg as if she’d found a lifeline. She quickly placed it in the dipping sauce bowl, turned, and tried to feed it to Fu Anyu.

Fu Anyu sat down, opened her mouth to accept the quail egg, then picked up her own chopsticks, dipped a slice of beef in sauce, and fed it to the little fox.

Their seats weren’t far apart, making it easy to feed each other.

While Fu Anyu was eating, Ming Ying added the fish balls she had her eye on to the pot. As she ate, she changed the subject, asking Fu Anyu what other interesting activities were available at the mountain villa besides swimming and soaking in the hot springs.

“Mostly related to agritainment,” Fu Anyu said, adding tofu cubes to the pot. “Fishing, picking fresh fruits and vegetables…”

“Are there melons?” Ming Ying interrupted.

“Yes, watermelons, sweet melons, cucumbers, and pumpkins,” Fu Anyu replied. “But the plantations are separate. Which melons do you want to pick?”

Ming Ying had some understanding of the names of fruits and vegetables in this era, but she found herself torn between watermelons and sweet melons.

Watermelons were also available in her hometown, though they were called “summer melons.” They were large, juicy, sweet, and refreshing, appearing every summer. Before eating, they would be soaked in well water. Whether cut into pieces or scooped out with a spoon, they were incredibly satisfying, and the rinds could even be used to make cold salads.

However, the taste of muskmelons wasn’t bad either. She had tried one at Fu Anyu’s house once, and it was quite sweet, though not very large and the flesh was a bit firm. Still, she really enjoyed the fresh, sweet flavor of this type of melon.

Seeing her furrow her brows, Fu Anyu didn’t rush her and instead said, “I’ve heard that the watermelons at Linlan Villa are a specialty of H City. Would you like to try one?”

Ming Ying decisively gave up on the muskmelon. It was better to stick with fruits she was used to and enjoyed.

They ate for about an hour before Ming Ying leisurely filled her stomach, put down her chopsticks, and sighed. “I feel like my appetite has been getting smaller lately. Maybe the side effects of transforming into human form will wear off soon.”

Although having a smaller appetite was a good thing, at least she wouldn’t trouble Xiao Du to prepare large portions for every meal, she couldn’t help but feel a bit empty and regretful at the thought of not being able to indulge freely in delicious food.

Fu Anyu, on the other hand, wondered if eating more would turn her into a chubby fox. Would she become plump and even more huggable when she transformed back into her fox form?

Of course, she would never voice such thoughts aloud. Instead, she poured Ming Ying a glass of juice and asked, “Do you want to go back and rest, or take a stroll around the villa?”

“Let’s take a stroll,” Ming Ying replied. She was actually quite interested in fishing. She remembered promising Xiao Du that she would make fish soup with Houttuynia cordata for her third sister. It was said that all the food at the villa was “organic and natural,” so the fish here must be fresher than those bought at the market.

The fishing platform was located at the back of the villa, surrounded by mountains on three sides, with one side open for visitors to enter and exit. Fishing time was unlimited; guests could fish from the moment the villa opened until it closed.

Ming Ying didn’t know how to fish, she only knew how to use magic to stun or catch fish. Watching Fu Anyu buy two fishing rods, two nets, a box of rice, and a ball of bait, she found it all very novel.

“Am I going to fish too?” she asked.

“Just for fun,” Fu Anyu replied, carrying the fishing gear and nets as she led the way to the fishing area.

Along the way, people greeted Fu Anyu, and she nodded in response.

“Hey, President Fu, taking your little sister fishing?” someone even came up with a flattering smile to chat, pointing to a spot. “Look, Abbot Hu and the others are sitting over there.”

Fu Anyu glanced at the little fox, who was clearly suppressing her anger, and shook her head coldly, politely saying, “No, Yingying has never fished before. I want to teach her.”

“Of course, of course. Please, go ahead,” the person replied, realizing they had misjudged the situation, and quickly stepped aside.

The fishing platform Fu Anyu chose came with a sun umbrella and two folding chairs. Ming Ying casually took a seat and curiously examined her fishing rod, mimicking Fu Anyu as she untangled the fishing line.

The fishing gear sold at the villa included plastic rods available on the market and handmade bamboo rods. The bamboo rods were mainly for tourists who didn’t know how to fish, they were light and slender, with floats made of either plastic balls or goose feather stems.

Ming Ying’s rod was a bamboo one with goose feather stems. Six white goose feather stems were threaded onto the fishing line, and she discovered she could move them by touching them.

After preparing her fishing rod, Fu Anyu scattered a handful of fermented rice into the pond, sat down, and began kneading the dough bait.

“Wrap the dough around the fishhook like this, making sure the hook is completely hidden.” She pinched a small piece of dough and demonstrated for Ming Ying. “Don’t use too much, and be careful not to prick your fingers on the hook.”

Ming Ying carefully threaded the dough onto the hook. As she did, she noticed the dough smelled sweet and fragrant, with a faint hint of rice wine and fish. She couldn’t help but sniff it, even wondering what it might taste like.

Seeing this, Fu Anyu couldn’t help but chuckle and remind her, “You can’t eat that.”

“Do I really look that greedy?” Ming Ying huffed softly, carefully adjusting the bait’s position to fully conceal the sharp hook inside the dough. Holding the fishing line, she asked Fu Anyu, “It’s done. What’s next? Just cast it into the water?”

“Mm, when the float sinks and then rises again, it means a fish has bitten,” Fu Anyu explained. After casting her own fishing rod and setting it down, she reached over to adjust Ming Ying’s float. “If you think a fish has bitten, let me know. Don’t scream, it’ll scare the fish away, and then we’ll have to readjust the bait. If the hook is exposed, the fish won’t take it.”

“Fish are that clever?” Ming Ying had never heard of such a thing before. “By the way, why did you scatter rice earlier?”

“To lure them,” Fu Anyu said. “That’s specially made rice soaked in wine to attract fish and gather them.”

“Why not use spiritual energy as bait?” Ming Ying asked, puzzled. “The spiritual energy here is denser than in the city, and it recovers quickly. Using a little bit wouldn’t be a problem.”

“That would defeat the essence of mortal fishing,” Fu Anyu said, leaning back in her chair and gazing at the calm surface of the lake.

Ming Ying glanced around and noticed other visitors also scattering rice before fishing. Only then did she understand what Fu Anyu meant.

Even though she could easily cast spells or use spiritual energy, Fu Anyu still wanted to enjoy the simple pleasures of an ordinary person.

Ming Ying watched her for a while. Seeing her staring motionlessly at the water, she asked, “Do we just keep watching the water from now on?”

“Mm, if you find it boring, you don’t have to stare. You can read a book instead,” Fu Anyu said. “Fishing is a time-consuming activity.”

“Now that you mention it, I think I’ve seen my clan members fish before.” Ming Ying tried to recall but found her memories had grown rather hazy. She didn’t suspect anything, assuming it was just because too much time had passed and she’d forgotten. Besides, she usually caught fish using spiritual energy and had never even touched a fishing rod.

She shook her head, dismissing the elusive memories, and picked up her fishing rod to focus on the water. “Books can be read anytime. Since we’re out here, let’s properly enjoy the joys of being mortal.”

But joy was nowhere to be found. Just as Fu Anyu had said, fishing was indeed tedious, especially the waiting for a fish to bite.

Ming Ying nearly dozed off while holding the rod, occasionally leaning over to peer into the water, worried that the hook was exposed. She was also afraid that if she pulled it up, a fish might bite at that very moment. After some thought, she decided it was safer to forgo the mortal experience and released her spiritual energy into the water to investigate what was below.

To her surprise, before her energy could even approach the hook, she suddenly sensed a vast surge of spiritual power emanating from the depths. The fluctuations were faint, yet they inexplicably reminded her of a flood dragon or dragon trapped beneath the water.

Driven by curiosity and caution, she probed deeper. The further down she went, the stronger the spiritual fluctuations became, yet it always felt as though something was blocking them, weakening the signals and preventing her from sensing them clearly.

Ming Ying withdrew her spiritual power and frowned slightly, asking Fu Anyu, “Is there something at the bottom of the water?”

“What kind of thing?” Fu Anyu asked in return.

“Like a flood dragon or a snake,” Ming Ying said. “I just sensed a fluctuation of spiritual power from the bottom of the water, but…”

She thought for a moment, “It might be blocked by some kind of magical artifact. I couldn’t clearly detect what was there, and I didn’t dare to probe deeper.”

Upon hearing this, Fu Anyu frowned, stood up, and said, “Let’s go ask the person in charge.”