255 - The Demon Fox Wife is a Foodie

Chapter 277 Yan Yuan Qing found herself questioning life. In just one short year, her once well-behaved and innocent daughter had transformed into such a whimsical and clever young woman. She had missed out on witnessing Yan Zhao's growth directly. Though during her deep slumber, she occasionally felt a faint connection when Yan Zhao faced peril, she couldn't awaken and thus was unaware of her daughter's experiences during that period. Reflecting on this left Yan Yuan Qing feeling quite melancholic. However, the fact that Yan Zhao could grow healthily amidst the many unforeseen dangers of the outside world, maintaining a vibrant personality rather than becoming cold and harsh, brought Yan Yuan Qing much relief and gratitude towards everyone who had looked out for Yan Zhao during her absence. Yan Zhao, having successfully thrown her mother off balance with a clever ploy, felt slightly smug. Yet, she wasn’t entirely happy, knowing she had "used" her mother's concern for her. Seeing Yan Yuan Qing’s expression relax, her demeanor filled with exasperation as if at a loss with her, Yan Zhao felt a small pang of guilt. For a moment, neither spoke. Yan Yuan Qing didn’t press further into who Yan Zhao’s love interest might be. The overly quiet atmosphere filled Yan Zhao with unease; she much preferred it when Yan Yuan Qing teased and played with her. This calm, tranquil ambience felt unusually unsettling. Noticing Yan Yuan Qing's thoughtful tilt of her head, Yan Zhao extended a finger to gently prod her hand. Yan Yuan Qing raised an eyebrow at her, wordlessly inquiring with her gaze: What is it? Though she wasn’t truly angry with Yan Zhao, being toyed with like a monkey by her own daughter was a slight hit to her pride. She needed to maintain some authority, to show Yan Zhao that she wasn’t someone to be taken lightly. Across the table, Yan Zhao rarely adopted a fawning expression, lowering her eyebrows, "Please don’t be mad. I was just... worried that you wouldn’t approve." Yan Yuan Qing raised her eyebrows, a bit surprised. She hadn’t expected Yan Zhao to actively placate her and explain herself. In such a brief time, Yan Zhao had grown so much, from initially being aloof and emotionless to now being keenly aware of the emotions of those around her. In an instant, any disappointment within Yan Yuan Qing vanished. While Yan Yuan Qing wasn’t angry, she didn’t intend to ease her demeanor so quickly. Resting her chin on her hand, she feigned displeasure and began to reason with Yan Zhao: "You haven’t even asked me, so how do you know I wouldn’t approve? Even if I disagreed, you could try to convince me." Yan Zhao tilted her head in thought, realizing her mother had a point. Yan Yuan Qing tapped the table, bringing Yan Zhao’s attention back to her before asking, "If I didn’t approve, would that make you stop liking that person?" "No." Yan Zhao answered firmly. After speaking, she realized how blunt she had been, which might upset Yan Yuan Qing. Yan Zhao retracted her neck awkwardly. Yan Yuan Qing couldn’t help but laugh, exasperated by the little rascal’s unwavering stance from the start, showing no intent to consider her opinion. Yet, seeing Yan Zhao’s determination, Yan Yuan Qing felt proud. Everyone has their destiny; Yan Zhao has her own life to lead. It cannot be forced. With a sigh, Yan Yuan Qing reached out to pinch Yan Zhao’s soft, rosy cheek, "So, can you tell me who this person is now?" Yan Zhao's face turned red where Yan Yuan Qing’s fingers had been, like a red apple. Once released, she rubbed her cheek, made a decision, leaned closer to Yan Yuan Qing, and whispered secretively by her ear, "It’s Senior Sister." Yan Yuan Qing’s eyebrows twitched, unsurprised, "It's Ren Qing Yue?" Blushing, Yan Zhao nodded and reminded her, "You promised to keep it a secret for me." Yan Yuan Qing’s earlier annoyance vanished, her eyes now sparkling with a vibrant light, as she teasingly asked Yan Zhao, "Why do you like Ren Qing Yue? That girl is such a stickler, only being a bit pliant with me, otherwise she’s cold to everyone." Yan Zhao immediately retorted, "Senior Sister isn’t cold; she’s very gentle!" Even though Senior Sister loved to tweak her ear and smack her hand, maybe even call her a little idiot in her heart, Yan Zhao didn’t mind. To her, Senior Sister was gentle. Seeing Yan Zhao jump to Ren Qing Yue’s defense with such urgency, Yan Yuan Qing couldn’t help but tease her further, "Ah, already siding with your wife over your mother. Always speaking up for your wife now." Yan Yuan Qing referred to Ren Qing Yue as "wife" like Yan Zhao and her Senior Sister were already a couple, making Yan Zhao a bit embarrassed. But mostly, she felt joy. After playing her part for a while, without seeing a reaction from Yan Zhao, Yan Yuan Qing fell silent. The generational gap with her daughter was indeed quite daunting. Bridging it would be a long journey. Then she heard Yan Zhao murmur, "She’s not my wife yet. Senior Sister hasn’t agreed to be with me." Yan Yuan Qing's interest piqued immediately, eyebrows lifting in surprise, "You’ve already confessed?" No wonder she’s her daughter, the pace was decisively assertive. In the past, when she and Nan Gong Yin tangled under circumstances, everything was done except for admitting their feelings. They held out for three thousand years until she couldn't resist breaking the ice first. Look at her daughter, such efficiency. Curious, Yan Yuan Qing asked, "How did you say it?" As she asked, Yan Yuan Qing thought: Knowing Ren Qing Yue’s straightforward nature, her refusal was expected. Yan Zhao took more after her, whereas Ren Qing Yue bore traits similar to Nan Gong Yin. There was little need to ask why Ren Qing Yue might refuse: it was either because she didn’t like Yan Zhao or due to reservations about Yan Zhao’s status. While waiting for Yan Zhao's response, Yan Yuan Qing had already devised different strategies for each scenario. Yan Zhao recalled expressing her true feelings to Ren Qing Yue, plucking the crucial line, "I said I’m interested in her with ulterior motives." "…" Yan Yuan Qing’s mind blanked momentarily. After a pause, she couldn’t contain herself. "Hahahahahaha!" Yan Zhao frowned, "What’s so funny? Is it really that amusing?" "Haha, no, nothing at all! Haha, my goodness!" Yan Yuan Qing laughed until tears sprang from her eyes, hastily wiping them while feigning innocence. Yan Zhao: "..." Her cheeks puffed up, deciding never to share such things with her mother again. Sensing Yan Zhao's resolve, Yan Yuan Qing adjusted her demeanor slightly, "You must know, darling, your mother isn’t laughing at you. She’s just a little overjoyed thinking of something, pfft hahaha!" A twitch played at her lips, unable to suppress the smile, ultimately bursting into laughter again. Yan Zhao wore disbelief all over her face, her features scrunching tightly, causing Yan Yuan Qing's credibility in her heart to plummet. "Ahem." Eventually, after getting her fill of laughter, Yan Yuan Qing composed herself, cleared her throat, and placed a hand on Yan Zhao’s shoulder, speaking earnestly, "Dear Zhao Zhao, expressing love can't be so straightforward. You’ll scare your beloved away with such directness." Yan Zhao found herself puzzled, "Why?" As she spoke, she lifted her head, causing the pair of earrings adorning her ears to dangle and gently sway, casting a sky-blue reflection into Yan Yuan Qing’s eyes. Yan Yuan Qing raised an eyebrow. The sky-blue earrings were new, ones that hadn’t been there before. Upon closer inspection, it seemed this pair were ones she had casually forged for Ren Qing Yue. Yan Yuan Qing's mind whirred: Ah. The situation seemed clearer than she’d anticipated. Her eyes flickered slightly as she clasped Yan Zhao's hand gently, her demeanor embodying the kindly presence of an elder, she warmly began, “Listen as Mother gives you a thorough analysis.” Yan Zhao, influenced by Yan Yuan Qing’s demeanor, straightened up involuntarily. "Ren Qing Yue’s character is pretty upright; she isn’t like you. She tends to keep her thoughts hidden," Yan Yuan Qing spoke eloquently, "and though she often appears impassive, she’s actually easily flustered and shy. Just teasing her a bit makes her blush." Yan Zhao thought along with Yan Yuan Qing's reasoning, nodding in agreement. Indeed, it was true that Senior Sister didn’t take much teasing and loved hiding her feelings, often leaving her guessing. Yan Yuan Qing patted her chest confidently, "When it comes to dealing with... I mean, pursuing someone like Ren Qing Yue, who is so straight-laced and stubborn, your mother has tons of experience!" Yan Zhao blinked curiously, "Was it you who pursued Ah Yin before you and she became a couple?" Yan Yuan Qing blushed slightly, "Ahem, actually, it wasn't just me. You have no idea how many people pursued your mother back then. She just played hard to get, feeling shy to admit it—just like your current situation." Yan Zhao responded with an understanding "Oh—" Feeling a bit uncomfortable, Yan Yuan Qing realized the conversation had shifted from discussing Yan Zhao’s romantic life to her own. Sharing her romantic history with her daughter felt rather strange. Quickly, she redirected the topic back, "You must believe that persistence pays off. Any stubborn person will have to admit their feelings eventually, no matter how awkward they are. So don’t lose heart." Yan Zhao nodded earnestly. She wouldn’t give up just because Senior Sister's tests were difficult. Mother was right. "So, what should I do?" Yan Zhao put down her guard, revealing her inner confusion to Yan Yuan Qing, "Senior Sister said that being together isn’t just about liking each other. She said I need to understand this before she’d give me her answer." Inside, Yan Yuan Qing felt a flash of pride. After hundreds of years, her young disciple had matured greatly, managing many things independently. Yan Yuan Qing immediately understood Ren Qing Yue’s true concerns, but she withheld the answer from Yan Zhao. In this respect, she supported Ren Qing Yue. She said, "Since she asked you to figure it out yourself, you should do so without shortcuts. But finding the answer and continuing to pursue Ren Qing Yue to gain her favor aren’t contradictory." Yan Zhao seemed thoughtful. Seeing her confusion, Yan Yuan Qing beckoned her closer. Yan Zhao leaned in, and Yan Yuan Qing whispered strategies into her ear. After a moment, realization dawned on Yan Zhao. "Ah, I see now." "Got it?" Yan Yuan Qing sipped her tea calmly. Talking so much had left her parched. Yan Zhao nodded, indicating she fully understood. After contemplating briefly, she raised her hand suddenly, "Mother, I have another question." Yan Yuan Qing nodded generously, "Ask away." Yan Zhao stood before Yan Yuan Qing, her demeanor and tone serious, "Mother, you and Ah Yin had me. If I manage to win over Senior Sister and become a couple with her, can we also have a little fox kid? How do we do that?" Yan Yuan Qing: "Pfft—" Chapter 278 Yan Yuan Qing was tempted to look inside Yan Zhao’s head to see how it was wired. She herself loved breaking conventions, but she hadn't expected her daughter to outdo her. She hadn't even won the girl over yet and was already considering having children—little foxes even! Speechless, Yan Yuan Qing reached over and knocked lightly on Yan Zhao’s forehead, "What are you thinking? Just focus on winning her over first. Until then, no funny business, understood?" Yan Zhao was confused, "What do you mean by funny business?" With mock seriousness, Yan Yuan Qing admonished her, "It means making unwarranted physical contact, touching here and there. Such behavior is disrespectful and will make people dislike you. Understand?"