Free Web NovelChapter 62: Ch 62: Flirty Fox and Roasted Duck
After they had placed their orders, Su Wanyan and Mo Xingxue waited patiently for their meal. While waiting, Su Wanyan was trying her hardest not to look around—lest she gets teased as ignorant. However, no matter how many times she tried and suppressed it.. curiosity won.
Su Wanyan looked around the restaurant with wide-eyed wonder, taking in the intricate details of the decor—the subtle floral arrangements on each table, the way the light danced off the crystal glassware, and the graceful movements of the waitstaff.
"How fancy," she said softly, unable to hold back a low whistle of awe. Her eyes twinkled with genuine joy, the earlier tensions of the day momentarily forgotten in the face of such refined beauty.
Mo Xingxue watched her quietly, her expression heavy. Her mind flashing memories of harsh words spoken in anger, of a friendship nearly shattered by misunderstandings and family schemes.
A weight settled in her chest, making it harder to breathe for a moment. She studied Su Wanyan’s bright smile, the way her eyes twinkled brightly as if competing with the lights, and felt a surge of tenderness mixed with regret.
Su Wanyan noticed the intense gaze and turned to her with a playful grin. "I might melt if you keep staring at me like that," she said jokingly, flashing a bright smile accompanied by a small chuckle.
Mo Xingxue pursed her lips, refusing to back down. "Is that so?" she muttered, then put both elbows on the table and leaned forward, resting her face delicately on her hands. "Let’s test it?" she said teasingly, her voice low and inviting.
Su Wanyan suddenly grew quiet. She stared in a daze at Mo Xingxue’s face, her heart—which had only just begun to calm—drumming harder in her chest. Still, she didn’t want to lose this playful challenge. She looked intently at Mo Xingxue, not even daring to blink.
Seeing Su Wanyan’s reaction, Mo Xingxue smiled. Hm, she thought inwardly. She recalled a seductive nine-tailed fox character she had once portrayed in a drama—embodying that alluring, confident energy once more. She tilted her head slightly to the side, a small, captivating smile playing on her lips, transforming her into a real-life seductress.
Su Wanyan looked stunned for a second, then hurriedly looked away and hid her face in her hands. Her neck, ears, and cheeks flushed a deep, burning red. Mo Xingxue laughed softly at the adorable reaction, finding her alpha incredibly cute and lovable. She continued to gaze at Su Wanyan with the same enchanting look, though now her eyes held unwavering tenderness beneath the playfulness.
The barrage, of course, couldn’t stay silent at the scene unfolding before them:
[SU WANYAN, STAND UP! STAND UP! MO XINGXUE GOT YOU UNDER HER CONTROL AGAIN.]
[LOLOL, GIRLY COLLAPSED WITH ZERO PRESSURE!]
[Hey, in her defense, no one would be able to stay calm with that look.]
{AutoModerator removed this content after detecting a potential guideline violation.}
[LOL, SOMEONE IS GETTING BANNED FOR SAYING SOMETHING NASTY!]
[That—my fellow brothers and sisters—is what will happen if you’re nasty.]
[It’s okay with being nasty, just be creative with it.. like this "I’m screaming!! (Without the s)."]
[Thank you, Master. We gratefully receive this lesson.]
[All hail the Master!]
While the chat erupted in its usual chaotic mix of gushing, teasing, and shutting down inappropriate comments, Su Wanyan still couldn’t lift her head. What.. the he-heck is wrong with me? she questioned inwardly.
When she had seen that expression on Mo Xingxue’s face, her heart had beaten faster than she thought possible. Even her stomach felt strange—like the fluttery ache she sometimes got during panic attacks, but surprisingly pleasant instead of uncomfortable.
Su Wanyan felt so immensely shy that she didn’t notice how Mo Xingxue’s eyes had turned gentler and gentler, filled with quiet affection.
"You gave up way too fast, Su Wanyan," Mo Xingxue said, followed by a soft chuckle.
Su Wanyan raised her head with visible difficulty, her face still extremely red. "Your beauty is so unfair," she muttered, looking incredibly wronged.
Mo Xingxue laughed harder at that. She reached out and gently ruffled Su Wanyan’s perfectly neat hair. "There, there," she said, her comfort playfully mocking.
Su Wanyan felt even more aggrieved and turned her head to the side. I’ll ignore this.. this.. beautiful fox! Su Wanyan swore internally. Seeing her sulky expression, Mo Xingxue laughed again and ruffled her hair once more.
Although Su Wanyan was sulking now, Mo Xingxue knew that just a few sweet words would bring back her energetic, gentle alpha. Seeing that Mo Xingxue still wasn’t coaxing her further, Su Wanyan puffed out her cheeks and let out a small "hmph." Mo Xingxue laughed harder, continuing to ruffle her hair affectionately.
Su Wanyan was so thoroughly shy at being treated like a sulking kid that she couldn’t handle it anymore. "Xuexue.. they’ll say I’m the most pathetic alpha again if you continue that," she pleaded, hoping to salvage some dignity.
Still, she didn’t push away from Mo Xingxue’s touches. After all, she knew Mo Xingxue liked ruffling her hair as much as she liked patting Mo Xingxue’s head. So Su Wanyan let her do as she pleased. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
Mo Xingxue raised an elegant eyebrow at the comment, a hint of dangerous protectiveness flashing in her eyes. "Who said that?" she asked softly, her voice carrying an undercurrent of something sharper.
Not noticing the shift, Su Wanyan admitted pitifully, "The comments from Weebo."
Mo Xingxue sighed and ruffled Su Wanyan’s hair more gently this time. "Don’t listen to them," she said, her voice warm with love and adoration. "You’re the most alpha-like person I’ve ever met."
Su Wanyan was moved by the words, and her gloom immediately disappeared. "Really?" she asked, her voice returning to its usual jolly and gentle tone.
Truthfully, Su Wanyan didn’t really care about being seen as a "pathetic alpha." She didn’t share the same worldview as many people in this world. What worried her was Mo Xingxue being dragged through the mud because of her.
Earlier while she was scrolling on Weebo, she had seen comments associating Mo Xingxue with "the pathetic alpha," and it didn’t take much to figure out who they meant. While some defended them, traditionalist voices were louder. That was why the title saddened her—she didn’t want to pull Mo Xingxue down.
At the thought, Su Wanyan’s expression fell again, reverting to that pitiful look.
Seeing her gloom, Mo Xingxue fumed inwardly. Those people! Mo Xingxue thought angrily, but she forced herself to calm down and comfort her bigger baby. "Hey, don’t think about what they’re saying, okay?" Mo Xingxue said, her left hand grasping Su Wanyan’s right one firmly.
Su Wanyan looked at her with watery eyes and nodded. Mo Xingxue smiled and couldn’t resist one last tease. "You’re the cutest alpha, don’t worry."
Su Wanyan felt her cheeks burning again. She looked to the side, mumbling incoherent complaints under her breath, but Mo Xingxue knew she was just being shy. The cutest indeed~ Mo Xingxue thought warmly, not voicing it aloud lest her alpha turn into an even brighter kettle from how much her face was burning.
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As the two continued their cat and mouse game, bantering playfully and reverting back to their childish phases, a waiter suddenly approached their table, pushing a gleaming silver carving cart with practiced elegance.
Resting atop it was a whole roasted duck, its skin shining like burnished amber under the warm lights. The aroma that wafted from it was irresistible—rich, savory, with a hint of fragrant spices that made Su Wanyan’s stomach rumble softly.
The waiter stopped beside the table and bowed slightly. "Good evening. May I present our signature Peking Duck."
Su Wanyan and Mo Xingxue both turned their attention to him, swiftly switching back to their composed, professional demeanor.
"The duck has been air-dried for forty-eight hours before being roasted in a traditional hanging oven," the waiter explained smoothly. "This process allows the skin to achieve its characteristic crispness while preserving the tenderness of the meat."
With practiced movements, the waiter began carving. Each slice fell neatly onto a porcelain plate with delicate precision.
"The first course highlights only the skin. We recommend enjoying it on its own to appreciate its texture."
The waiter placed several beautifully sliced pieces onto both Su Wanyan’s and Mo Xingxue’s plates.
"The second course is served with handmade pancakes, cucumber, scallions, and our house sauce. We invite you to assemble it according to your preference."
The waiter then flashed them a gentle, professional smile and bowed. "Please enjoy." He wheeled the cart away, leaving the two women with their first course.
"Let’s dig in," Su Wanyan said, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. Mo Xingxue nodded, a small smile playing on her lips.
Su Wanyan lifted a piece of the duck skin with her chopsticks. The moment her teeth broke through it, a crisp crack echoed softly. Her eyes widened in delight. The skin shattered almost like brittle caramel, giving way to rich, succulent duck meat beneath.
The sweetness of the house sauce lingered at the tip of her tongue, while the fresh cucumber provided a refreshing contrast. It’s so good! Su Wanyan thought, savoring each bite. As expected of a high-end restaurant!
Mo Xingxue nodded with quiet approval as she tasted her own portion. Personally, she thought Su Wanyan’s dishes tasted better—warmer, more heartfelt. Unaware of Mo Xingxue’s thoughts, Su Wanyan continued eating with gusto, her eyes curving into happy crescents.
The two quickly finished the course—mostly thanks to Su Wanyan’s enthusiasm after the active day at the amusement park. Su Wanyan smiled brightly at Mo Xingxue. "It’s good, no?" she asked, her eyes twinkling as if she already knew the answer.
Mo Xingxue nodded, a small, genuine smile playing on her lips. Su Wanyan then rambled on about her thoughts on the food—the perfect balance of textures, the subtle layers of flavor, and how the traditional method elevated every element. Mo Xingxue listened intently, her gaze soft and focused solely on her alpha. ƒrēewebnovel.com
Then, Su Wanyan looked around them and gestured for Mo Xingxue to lend her ear. Mo Xingxue obliged, leaning in. Su Wanyan first carefully covered the mic clipped to her collar, and Mo Xingxue followed suit. Seeing they were good to go, Su Wanyan whispered close, "I think I can recreate the dish."
Mo Xingxue widened her eyes in amazement. "Really?"
Su Wanyan nodded, puffing out her chest in pride. "Yeah! So, whenever you want to taste that again, just tell me and I’ll cook it for you."
Mo Xingxue smiled at her and nodded. "I understand," she said, her smile light and full of love. Su Wanyan interpreted it as acknowledgment of her cooking skills, but it was really about how Su Wanyan always thought of Mo Xingxue first. My cute alpha, she thought with a small, fond grin.
Meanwhile, the barrage was in absolute kahoots.
[Yo, that’s not fair!]
[Su Wanyan, repeat what you said!]
[Mo Xingxue looks so pretty looking at Su Wanyan like that.]
[It’s giving hopelessly devoted x hopeless.]
[Is Su Wanyan supposed to be the hopeless?]
[Otherwise? Let’s be real, Su Wanyan is the densest thing on the planet. Mo Xingxue kept giving her hints, yet she still makes careless remarks, smh.]
[THAT’S....! True.. man, I can’t defend you Su Wanyan.]
[WHAT DID YOU TWO TALK ABOUT?! PLEASE, LET US HEAR IT!]
[Speaking of hopelessly devoted.... Hopelessly devoted to you.... BUT NOW THERE’S NO—]
[STOP, SINGING DANG IT! ARE YOU NOT SCARED ABOUT HOW SINGING WILL KILL YOUR GRANDMA??]
[LOL]
While the barrage was being their chaotic and unruly selves, Su Wanyan leaned back in her chair, eyes full of anticipation. "I’m excited for the other dishes," she said, humming a little cheerful tune under her breath. Mo Xingxue just smiled at her, not once had her gaze left her alpha.
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Thank you so much, AshesOT for beta reading this! YOU’RE THE GOAT, TWIN! Also, the moderator thingy there is AshesOT’s idea, so thank her for that, y’all. Say, "thank you, Maste—" I’m just kidding... or am I? (Say it.)
Also, credits to TeamRed2_0 for the creaming idea, lol (say thank you to the benevolent masters, guys).
