Chapter 48: “Is it… a Heat Cycle?”
Ming Fei was a little puzzled by the sudden apology, but she didn’t urge Zhu Yiqiao to explain immediately, just waiting quietly like a wind chime flower in the corner of a garden.
Her curious and puzzled look, in Zhu Yiqiao’s eyes, was like a lively and gentle snow deer.
At the same time, the persistent blizzard in her heart gradually began to subside.
Since taking office as Chief Judge of the Trial Court, Zhu Yiqiao had rarely experienced such a moment of indecision.
She pursed her lips and repeated in a low voice,
“…Ming Fei, I’m sorry.”
The recipient of the apology was even more puzzled: “Why are you saying this?”
Zhu Yiqiao: “Initially, because of the gene theft incident, my impression of you was unfair. When Lubai said you were excellent, I called you a bookworm, an… incompetent bookworm.”
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have judged you with prejudice before understanding the situation clearly.”
Finally, when she spoke again, there was a rare gentleness in Zhu Yiqiao’s eyes.
“You are like the Zolan Green Dream, you don’t need anyone’s judgment.”
The Zolan Green Dream was the star of the Tri-National Gem Appreciation Exhibition last year. It was hailed as the most beautiful natural green diamond of this century, like a dream of boating on a vast expanse of blue waves. Because it was extremely rare, it wasn’t put up for auction. After consultation between high-ranking officials, it was finally stored in the National Treasure Museum of the Independent State of Yi Meng.
Ming Fei understood the metaphorical compliment in Zhu Yiqiao’s words.
—You are as brilliant and dazzling as a diamond.
Receiving both an apology and a compliment in such a short time, Ming Fei smiled shyly, the small dimple on her right cheek appearing.
“Thank you, Jiejie.”
She said, “It’s okay, because I also secretly thought Chief Judge Zhu was…”
Zhu Yiqiao asked, “Chief Judge Zhu was what?”
Ming Fei’s eyes crinkled with a smile as she confessed honestly, deliberately exaggerating some of the facts to lighten the atmosphere.
“I thought Chief Judge Zhu was so mean, pointing a gun at my head, arresting me and putting me in detention, and even after the suspicion was cleared, you still wouldn’t let me go.” Ming Fei stopped there. “So, we both had emotional issues at the time, it’s really okay, Jiejie.”
“I didn’t take these things to heart, especially since Jiejie helped me a lot later.”
Just as she finished speaking, there was a sudden noise from the door. Through the display screen connected to the system, Ming Fei saw that it was Ming Zaozao standing outside.
They exchanged a look and walked towards the intelligent security door at the same time. The security door automatically opened after receiving the command. Ming Fei squatted down and picked up the small Ming Zaozao, softly asking her why she had come upstairs after waking up.
Ming Zaozao leaned against Ming Fei’s shoulder and mumbled, “Baby had a dream, and when Baby woke up and didn’t see Mommy, Baby asked Flower, and Flower said it didn’t know, so Baby was worried about Mommy and took the elevator upstairs, wanting Auntie to help Baby find Mommy.”
Having come upstairs in a hurry tonight, Ming Fei hadn’t brought her phone, so she didn’t receive Ming Zaozao’s call.
She softly explained to Ming Zaozao and praised her for being a brave baby.
Ming Zaozao, no longer sleepy, was delighted by Ming Fei’s praise, her round black eyes blinking.
This was her first time in Zhu Yiqiao’s bedroom. She didn’t look around curiously, nor did she act mischievously. She just suddenly reached out to Zhu Yiqiao, wanting to be held.
As soon as Zhu Yiqiao picked up Ming Zaozao, Ming Zaozao asked hopefully,
“Auntie, can Baby sleep with you?”
Zhu Yiqiao didn’t hesitate: “Okay.”
Ming Zaozao smiled happily: “Then can Mommy sleep with us too?”
“Baby likes Auntie very much, and Mommy also likes Auntie. The little bears in the forest sleep together, the little rabbits sleep together, and the kittens and puppies sleep together too. Baby will sleep in the middle, and Auntie and Mommy will sleep on both sides~”
Ming Fei, like a rabbit whose tail had been pulled, hurriedly tried to find an excuse to avoid the topic, but Zhu Yiqiao’s voice rang out first.
“Okay.”
Instantly, Ming Zaozao’s smile was brighter than a flower: “Yay! Thank you, Auntie!”
After reaching an agreement, the adult and child started chatting about other topics.
Leaving the embarrassed rabbit to pace back and forth, dizzy and seeing stars.
Finally, when it was time for bed, the soft little one lay down between them, Ming Fei sleeping on the right side, faintly sensing the woody fragrance emanating from the other side, but it would quickly dissipate the moment she noticed it.
She felt it was a little strange, but given the current situation, she didn’t ask any further questions, telling Ming Zaozao the bedtime story she had long memorized.
“The little bear built a wooden bridge, and the swans in the river…”
Unlike usual, tonight’s story had another listener, Zhu Yiqiao. This made Ming Fei a little shy, lowering her voice and not adding her usual vivid shadow puppet show.
No matter when or where, Ming Zaozao was Ming Fei’s best audience. After listening to the bedtime story, Ming Zaozao first asked two questions about the story, then praised Ming Fei for telling it so well!
After chattering for a while, Ming Zaozao obediently said goodnight to the two adults.
Ming Fei responded gently: “Goodnight.”
The heavy snow outside showed no signs of stopping. After Ming Zaozao, lying in the middle, fell asleep, Ming Fei originally thought she probably wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight.
Because this wasn’t just an unfamiliar environment like the hotel in Taiya, but Zhu Yiqiao’s private domain.
But in reality, amidst the faintly fragrant pillows and blankets, she quickly fell asleep and had a good night’s sleep.
Mid-November in the Independent State of Yi Meng, early winter had already arrived.
The vast expanse of snow couldn’t suppress the rising sun. As the sky turned a fish-belly white, Ming Fei in the master bedroom on the third floor of the villa gradually woke up.
She sat up, confirming that Ming Zaozao was sleeping soundly in the middle, and that she and Zhu Yiqiao were still peacefully separated, without any accidental close contact. Her worried heart finally settled down.
The statutory public holiday in the Independent State had ended, and Q University’s class schedule was slightly adjusted for odd and even weeks. For Ming Fei, she could still rest for another day.
She didn’t make any noise that might wake the other two, quietly getting out of bed and putting on her shoes. After washing up on the second floor, she went down to the first floor and encountered Xue Xun, who was also up early, in the living room.
“Good morning, Teacher Xiao Fei.”
“Morning, Xue Xun Jiejie.”
Xue Xun casually asked, “Is Zaozao still asleep?”
“Mm,” Ming Fei replied, “They’re still sleeping.”
Xue Xun stopped, a smile gradually appearing on her face: “They?”
Faced with Xue Xun’s pointed question, Ming Fei’s mind raced and quickly came up with an excuse.
“Mm, Zaozao is still asleep, and I didn’t see Chief Judge Zhu when I came downstairs, so I guessed they were both still sleeping.”
Having survived for many years in the apocalypse, Xue Xun had met all kinds of people and had a deep understanding of the horrors of human nature.
Hearing such a clumsy excuse, she felt that this little alpha in her friend’s house was… a bit too naive. Such a personality was indeed more suitable for being a university teacher and doing research. If she were in the world of fame and fortune, or in the business or political world, she would probably be a rabbit surrounded by wolves, tigers, and leopards.
And these thoughts were based on her not knowing about Ming Fei’s decisiveness and skill when firing a gun.
She looked at Ming Fei with interest, recalling her friend’s words again and again, but couldn’t find any evidence that the person in front of her was like an alpha.
The balance in her heart tilted a little more.
She didn’t tease Ming Fei any further, as if she believed her words: “I see.”
“Mm.”
Ming Fei said goodbye to her and turned towards the kitchen.
The villa’s new chef for the day had already arrived and was a little surprised to see her. Ming Fei politely greeted the chef and briefly explained a few things.
In the following time, the chef, wearing a white chef’s hat, occasionally helped Ming Fei, even giving her some pointers. By the time Zhu Yiqiao and Ming Zaozao came downstairs, Ming Fei had already cooked the sweet jujube porridge that Ming Zaozao wanted.
This was Ming Zaozao’s favorite porridge, a nutritious porridge specially formulated by Ming Fei according to her taste.
Sweet and soft.
It had the sweetness of dates and the original flavor of seven other ingredients.
Ming Zaozao ate until her belly was round, occasionally praising Ming Fei’s cooking skills. Xue Xun, sitting next to her, would also join in the praise from time to time.
After breakfast, Ming Fei went back to her study and worked for two hours.
She originally wanted to use the remaining free time to continue working on the Grape-faced Bellflower Orchid Drum for Zhu Yiqiao, but thinking that she hadn’t spent much time with Ming Zaozao since returning from the business trip, she closed the door of the craft room and went to the living room on the first floor.
It was just eleven o’clock. Ming Zaozao was playing with building blocks by the French window, like a quiet little mushroom. Just as she was about to ask 008 next to her when the snow outside would stop, she saw Ming Fei coming downstairs towards her.
Ming Zaozao’s eyes lit up, and she immediately put down the building blocks, forgetting her question and answer.
“Mommy~”
“Mm, have you finished building, Zaozao?”
Ming Zaozao shook her head: “Not yet, will Mommy play with Baby?”
“Okay.”
Ming Fei started playing with building blocks with Ming Zaozao. As usual, they started a competition, and the slower one would be punished.
And Teacher Xiao Fei, who taught at the best university in the Independent State of Yi Meng at such a young age, almost always lost.
This time was no exception.
Ming Zaozao finished building the little tiger Lego first. Seeing that Ming Fei had lost again, she proposed a cute punishment.
“Then Mommy will be the little tiger, and Baby will be the little kitten Mommy built.”
Ming Fei smiled: “Okay.”
So—
Zhu Yiqiao, who had returned home for some reason, happened to see this scene as she passed by the French window from the garden.
Ming Zaozao, wearing a light orange fluffy outfit, had a few whiskers drawn on her face and a cat-ear headband on her head. When she curled her fingers, she really looked like a little orange cat baring its claws. And Ming Fei, opposite her, also had whiskers drawn on her face, and there was even a black character “王” (king) written on her forehead. When Ming Zaozao pounced on her, she pretended to be a ferocious tiger.
But the moment she caught Ming Zaozao, Ming Fei’s ferocious act was broken, and she smiled brightly, amused by the little one in her arms.
It was a bright, happy smile, without any worries.
Full of vitality, like a vibrant spring.
Zhu Yiqiao paused, and only after the wind and snow brushed past her shoulders did she take another path back to the living room.
After the building block game, Ming Fei played hide-and-seek with Ming Zaozao at her request. The game was limited to the main area of the living room, with Ming Fei hiding first.
Before the game officially started, Ming Fei reminded Ming Zaozao not to run outside, because it was snowing and very cold.
Ming Zaozao promised to be obedient.
Ming Fei put on a blindfold, and after the countdown, announced with a smile, “Here we go.”
Then, Ming Fei heard Ming Zaozao’s childish reply.
“Okay!”
Unwittingly revealing her hiding spot.
The smile on Ming Fei’s lips deepened. She deliberately didn’t walk towards Ming Zaozao, letting Ming Zaozao have more fun by completely throwing the game.
And the reason she was playing building blocks and hide-and-seek in the living room was entirely because Zhu Yiqiao wasn’t home.
After breakfast, Zhu Yiqiao and Xue Xun had left. Before they left, Ming Zaozao asked Zhu Yiqiao when she would be back, and Zhu Yiqiao’s answer was “tonight.”
Therefore, Ming Fei played the game without any worries, walking in the opposite direction of Ming Zaozao, acting as if she was seriously searching.
Because she was immersed in the game and overly at ease, Ming Fei ignored some subtle sounds. When she reached the edge of the sofa, she actually knew that Ming Zaozao had hidden in another direction, but still pretended to hug the air in front of her.
“I caught you!”
Then—
The kitten turned into a big cat.
She happened to hug Zhu Yiqiao, who had appeared in the living room at some point.
After hugging Zhu Yiqiao, Ming Fei realized something was wrong. She didn’t let go with her left hand, but quickly removed the blindfold with her right hand.
Their eyes met, and a sudden surge of pheromones filled the air, enveloping Ming Fei.
Zhu Yiqiao, in her arms, was wearing her Trial Court uniform, as if she would take out a pair of handcuffs at any moment and completely restrain Ming Fei, who was already surrounded by pheromones.
Ming Fei asked softly, “Jiejie, what’s wrong?”
Zhu Yiqiao didn’t say a word.
The increasingly rich woody scent clearly indicated something unusual, like a final warning before a hunt, clearly signaling that the differentiated individual’s heat cycle seemed to have suddenly arrived.
But Ming Fei firmly believed in the person’s alpha identity.
She didn’t even consider why Colonel Zhu, once hailed as the backbone of the Victory Column, who had broken the world sniping distance record and many other military records, would allow this situation to happen.
Why approach?
Why not avoid her?
Why let herself be hugged?
From beginning to end, she naturally treated this big cat, usually dormant in the snowy highlands, like a kitten basking in the sun.
She asked worriedly, tentatively, “Is it… a heat cycle?”
Leave a Reply