Chapter 44: Come to My Room Tonight
Snow began to fall outside the French windows.
Ming Fei, standing a few steps away from Zhu Yiqiao, suddenly felt a little strange.
Why did Chief Judge Zhu keep asking about this?
It didn’t seem to have much to do with making the original Grape-faced Bellflower Orchid Drum.
Although she thought this, she didn’t question Zhu Yiqiao, but seriously considered her question.
—Just an online friend?
—Of course not.
Even though One Raccoon Hill had deleted her account without warning, and even though they hadn’t had any contact since then, the past shared moments were real.
The shared stories had truly happened.
The care and praise were sincere.
All the connections established on “Supporters of the Rose” were genuine.
Although that time was short, the joy and happiness it brought her surpassed the past thirteen years. So, even now, she was still grateful to One Raccoon Hill, grateful for everything she had brought her.
Therefore, she accepted all the good and the bad, accepted all the outcomes of this friendship.
But how could she define their relationship to someone who knew nothing about them? Ming Fei couldn’t immediately give a perfect answer.
She pursed her lips, her gaze shifting to the French window, her voice a little low.
“…To me, she was more than just an online friend.”
Just as she finished speaking, Xue Xun, who had already gone to the second floor, suddenly returned. Having just overheard their conversation, she timely teased,
“Teacher Xiao Fei, saying that, do you have feelings for that friend?”
For Xue Xun, surviving in the apocalypse was already difficult. Many people didn’t even have the energy to think about tomorrow, so when it came to feelings, she was always frank and straightforward, without any hesitation.
But she didn’t expect that after hearing these words, Ming Fei’s cheeks would turn crimson, adding a touch of beauty to her delicate face.
A bit like an innocent deer, hiding out of shyness.
Seeing this, Xue Xun couldn’t help but think, could an alpha… be shy? Weren’t alphas arrogant and conceited creatures who didn’t even know the meaning of the word “shy”?
“No,” Ming Fei quickly explained, “I was only thirteen at the time, we were just friends.”
Intrigued, Xue Xun continued to tease her: “But maybe the other party did?”
Ming Fei was very firm: “No, they didn’t.”
Xue Xun’s interest grew, wanting to tease her a bit more, but stopped when Zhu Yiqiao looked at her.
Their gazes met in the air.
One flamboyant like fire, the other cold as ice.
Meeting Zhu Yiqiao’s cold gaze, Xue Xun raised an eyebrow and smiled, as if hinting at something. And Zhu Yiqiao’s gaze became even more distant and profound, like a misty sea.
This clash of ice and fire ended with Zhu Yiqiao’s victory.
Xue Xun, coming back to her senses, was a little surprised, because she had just revised her bet in her heart. After all, her friend’s aversion to alphas was not an exaggeration, and after learning about Ming Fei’s alpha identity, she found it hard to be optimistic about her chances.
But thinking of Zaozao, the link between them, her surprise disappeared.
“I heard from Zaozao that Teacher Xiao Fei likes flowers?”
The topic change was a bit abrupt. Ming Fei nodded, puzzled.
Xue Xun sat back on the sofa, gestured for Ming Fei to sit next to her, and raised her right hand.
“I just made a joke with Teacher Xiao Fei, and I wasn’t careful with my words, it was a bit too much.”
The blush on Ming Fei’s face had faded. She didn’t think it was too much, because Xue Xun’s tone hadn’t carried any malice from beginning to end. She had heard countless jokes far more malicious than this in the orphanage, and no one had ever apologized to her for a joke.
She smiled gently, her dark eyes like the moon reflected in water, both bright and hazy.
“No,” she said. “You’re being too serious.”
Meeting Ming Fei’s gaze, Xue Xun conjured a white rose with her right fingertips. The freshly bloomed white rose had a captivating fragrance, and Xue Xun handed it to Ming Fei.
“What kind of flowers does Teacher Xiao Fei like?”
This was the first time Ming Fei had witnessed Xue Xun using her ability. Her eyes flickered with novelty. Touching the soft, white petals, she immediately asked,
“Will using your ability like this affect your body?”
Xue Xun said, “No.”
She explained, “Ability users who awakened their abilities in the apocalypse can use their abilities without limit. Except for some overly aggressive abilities, they basically don’t have any negative effects on the body.”
At this moment, Ming Fei sat up straight, like a student attentively listening to new knowledge, her slightly round almond eyes fixed on the white rose.
“So amazing.” She asked, “Xue Xun Jiejie, is it convenient for you to reveal what your ability is specifically?”
Hearing this, Xue Xun snapped her fingers.
Instantly, all the flowers in the flowerbed outside the French windows swayed as if they had sensed something. The unopened new multi-cornered roses even bloomed layer by layer at this moment, instantly becoming as beautiful as a painting of a snowy landscape with a hundred flowers.
Ming Fei looked up, completely captivated by this scene.
Xue Xun’s voice rang out: “My ability is relatively gentle, belonging to the auxiliary type. I can control the growth of plants and also turn them into puppets for my use. What kind of flowers do you want? As long as it’s within the main urban area, I can make them appear in front of you.”
Before this, although Ming Fei had read several post-apocalyptic novels and watched some post-apocalyptic movies, she had never so truly felt the wonder of another space-time.
Flowers and the apocalypse, like gentleness and violence.
These two unrelated elements, combined in Xue Xun, added a touch of mystery to her.
Ming Fei suddenly looked at Zhu Yiqiao and asked,
“Jiejie, what kind of flowers do you like?”
Even though Xue Xun had returned, Zhu Yiqiao hadn’t spoken, but her presence couldn’t be ignored. There were many reasons for this, such as the aura of her high position, her cold and aloof temperament, and that face that could never be a mere backdrop.
The Chief Judge of the Independent State of Yi Meng, whenever she appeared in public, was the center of attention. This was true at any time, in any place.
Zhu Yiqiao looked over, not answering what she liked, but simply saying,
“My preference isn’t important. She’s apologizing to you, your preference matters.”
Ming Fei smiled: “Okay.”
Driven by her curiosity about the unknown, Ming Fei showed a more lively side in the following time, a smile always playing on her lips and in her eyes, her whole person more energetic and cheerful.
Clearly more relaxed and happy than when she was alone with Zhu Yiqiao.
She chatted with Xue Xun, not noticing Zhu Yiqiao’s gaze, nor the pheromone bracelet on her wrist that occasionally lit up.
Xue Xun was staying at the villa for the night.
Ming Zaozao was the happiest to hear this news, because Xue Xun had played with her for a long time this afternoon.
And Ming Fei was in the craft room working on the Grape-faced Bellflower Orchid Drum, extremely focused, striving to make every detail perfect.
However, she was a little hesitant about whether or not to add a pear to the bottom corner of the drum’s surface. This would cater to Zhu Yiqiao’s preference and make this drum, specially made for Zhu Yiqiao, even more unique.
Before transmigrating, Ming Fei had a habit of flipping a coin whenever she was indecisive to decide what to do next. But she had changed this habit after transmigrating, and now she had learned how to weigh and make decisions.
After much deliberation, she sent a message to Zhu Yiqiao, who was in the study on the third floor.
[Jiejie, do you want a pear added to the bottom corner of the drum’s surface?]
[If you like this change, I’ll redo the drum surface. If you don’t think it’s necessary, then forget it.]
Five minutes later, she received Zhu Yiqiao’s reply.
[Okay.]
[But I want it added to the right side of the bells.]
Ming Fei respected Zhu Yiqiao’s wishes and ideas.
[Okay, then I’ll do it according to Jiejie’s idea.]
[[Kitten giving thumbs up.jpg]]
Just as she was about to put down her phone, she saw a news push notification from the campus forum. The title was “Yuan Xiu from the university next door suddenly investigated and dismissed.”
Ming Fei clicked on the notification and read the news, then logged into W University’s official website.
Yuan Xiu’s name was indeed gone from the Institute of Paleontology. All traces of her had been erased, even the group photos with students from projects a few years ago were gone, as if she had never existed.
Not only that, but another researcher from the Institute of Paleontology had also disappeared along with Yuan Xiu.
This meant that the research institute had planted more than one person in W University’s Institute of Paleontology.
Ming Fei’s heart sank.
She exited W University’s official website and was about to start making the Grape-faced Bellflower Orchid Drum when she received a reply from Zhu Yiqiao.
[Thank you.]
[Send me a list of gifts you want or need.]
Ming Fei immediately snapped out of the low mood brought on by the Yuan Xiu incident.
Up to now, she still didn’t know the extent of Zhu Yiqiao’s wealth. After seeing the message, she replied without hesitation that she didn’t want or need any gifts.
To confirm her thoughts and determination, she even sent Zhu Yiqiao the plan list she had made at the beginning of the year, and added an animated emoji at the end.
[Jiejie has already given me everything I need, suppressants, pheromone bracelet, suppressor patches, and so on. Not only that, Jiejie has also helped me a lot. I don’t need any gifts in return.]
[[Kitten happily playing a trumpet.gif]]
Zhu Yiqiao’s reply wasn’t what Ming Fei had expected.
[It’s not a gift in return.]
[It’s a reward.]
[You and Zaozao are heroes in the Yuan Xiu incident.]
Ming Fei took a sip of the hot tea on the table, still not wanting to accept this reward, and she was certain that Ming Zaozao didn’t lack anything either. As she was still thinking about how to reply, Zhu Yiqiao sent her another message.
[Blue Fia?]
Blue Fia was a new type of lily that had only been cultivated in recent years. It was an extremely rare butterfly-wing blue and grew at the foot of the snow mountains in Silla.
Because it was so far away, even Xue Xun couldn’t conjure it with her ability.
Ming Fei didn’t expect Zhu Yiqiao to actually remember Blue Fia, because Zhu Yiqiao hadn’t spoken much during her conversation with Xue Xun, seemingly uninterested in these things.
And in her guess, the busy Chief Judge wouldn’t remember things she wasn’t interested in.
She was a little surprised, but didn’t think too much about it. And she really did want this flower, so she relented and agreed.
[Thank you, Jiejie.]
[[Little bear offering flowers.jpg]]
The heavy snow outside the window never stopped.
At seven o’clock during dinner, the entire garden was covered with a thin layer of snow, the occasional bright colors of flowers peeking through the snow like splashes of colored ink on a white canvas after an overturned palette.
The four of them sat in the dining room. Outside the glass windows, the winter chill deepened, and the heavy snow fell, a beautiful sight.
Ming Zaozao was the most focused eater, her head down the whole time, occasionally reminding Ming Fei to eat more when she drank water.
Xue Xun asked with interest, “Zaozao, do you know what Mommy likes to eat?”
Ming Zaozao nodded: “Mm-hmm! Baby likes to eat everything Mommy likes to eat!”
“Then what are they?”
“Mommy likes to eat shrimp, pineapple, carrots, tomatoes…”
As Ming Zaozao recited the list of foods, Ming Fei was replying to Li Xing’s message. Her friend had sent her a newly published classical philosophy book and invited her to read chapter 3, page 56.
She clicked on it and saw that it was about the philosopher they had talked about in the morning.
So, she replied to her friend with a “little rabbit nodding” emoji.
Ming Fei put down her phone, but accidentally knocked over a porcelain plate on the table, spilling Zhu Yiqiao’s soup as well.
The milky white soup flowed along the tablecloth onto Zhu Yiqiao’s shirt sleeve. Ming Fei’s body reacted faster than her mind, and she leaned over to check if Zhu Yiqiao had been scalded, her hand covering Zhu Yiqiao’s.
After repeatedly confirming that only the cuff was stained with soup, Ming Fei bent down and wiped Zhu Yiqiao’s sleeve, apologizing profusely.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t notice the soup was there.”
Zhu Yiqiao: “It’s okay.”
Ming Fei hesitated to speak. After wiping it clean, she looked up and noticed Xue Xun staring at her.
Compared to noon, there was a hint of scrutiny in her eyes.
Ming Fei didn’t mind and sat back in her seat after making sure Zhu Yiqiao was fine.
Because of this small incident, Ming Fei lost her appetite. Except for picking up food for Ming Zaozao, she mostly just drank water.
She felt inexplicably thirsty, and her body temperature rose slightly without her realizing it. In the end, she almost finished half a pot of water.
And Xue Xun, who had witnessed this small incident, felt the balance in her heart shift again—
Based on her understanding of her friend, Zhu Yiqiao would only move away when an alpha approached, or throw them over her shoulder. Not like just now, remaining motionless from beginning to end, allowing Ming Fei to approach.
Letting Ming Fei carefully wipe the soup for her, even… touching her wrist.
Therefore, Xue Xun decided to observe further before deciding whether to change her bet.
After dinner, Ming Fei put on her coat, gloves, and hat, and holding a black umbrella, went to the garden. After picking all the Bingjiao roses in the corner, she returned to the living room with the flower basket.
The moon was silver, and Ming Fei, covered in snow, was chilled to the bone.
When Ming Zaozao rushed towards her, she didn’t hug her because of the cold, just bent down and kissed her round face, coaxing her to continue watching cartoons.
Xue Xun, her red curly hair tied up, sat down opposite Ming Fei with a smile.
“You could have just told me,” Xue Xun helped her trim the flower branches. “I could have used my ability to bring them inside for you, and you wouldn’t have had to brave the snow to pick them.”
Ming Fei didn’t want to trouble others with things she could do herself. She wasn’t very familiar with Xue Xun yet, far from the point where she could directly ask her to use her ability.
She made up an excuse, and Xue Xun didn’t press further, quickly finding a new topic to start a conversation.
“In the twentieth year of the apocalypse, plants and animals all mutated…”
Ming Fei multitasked, trimming the roses while listening to Xue Xun’s apocalyptic stories. She was very interested in the mutation of plants and animals, sometimes even asking with a smile,
“Xue Xun Jiejie, could marine life go on land then?”
“Would small mushrooms turn into mushroom houses?”
“Would mutated rabbits still eat carrots?”
…
Xue Xun patiently answered all of Ming Fei’s questions.
She thought, perhaps it was because Ming Fei, like her lover whom she had been separated from for eight years, had black hair and black eyes.
The atmosphere between them remained lively during the trimming process.
But for some reason, this scene of them chatting happily was an eyesore to Zhu Yiqiao.
She hadn’t felt this way before.
Zhu Yiqiao looked away, lowering her head to browse the latest document sent by Lan Lubai. Five minutes later, she closed the document, her gaze sweeping over the display screen and landing directly on Ming Fei, who was still trimming the roses.
The person who was usually slightly reserved in front of her now had a bright smile, her almond eyes curved.
After a few seconds, Zhu Yiqiao left the living room.
And when Ming Fei finished trimming, placed the roses in a glass vase, and took them back to the study, she received a message from Zhu Yiqiao.
[Come to my room tonight.]
[We’ll start the first guidance session.]
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