Where am I?
Su Wanyan stood in the middle of a wide, sunlit field, golden grass swaying gently around her knees. The sky stretched endlessly above, painted in soft blues and warm pinks. She blinked slowly, confusion settling in her chest.
The last thing she remembered was sitting in the villa's living room during Love House: Pheromone War, with Mo Xingxue sleeping against her shoulder and little Mo Yan in her arms. How had she ended up here?
Before she could piece it together, a small voice called out.
"Mother!"
A child ran toward her, laughing brightly, and threw her arms around Su Wanyan's thighs in a tight hug. By pure habit, Su Wanyan bent down and scooped the little girl up, cradling her safely against her chest. The child lifted her head, revealing thick, heroic eyebrows and eyes that sparkled like stars caught in clear water—bright, full of life, and strangely familiar.
"You could've gotten hurt," came a woman's voice, smooth and cool like flowing water.
Su Wanyan knew that voice instantly. It was Mo Xingxue's.
"Mama!" the child in her arms shouted with pure excitement.
Mother.. and Mama?
Su Wanyan's heart skipped. Her and Mo Xingxue? Raising a child together? The thought sent a strange flutter through her. She turned toward the voice, ready to see—
—and jolted awake.
Her eyes flew open. She was still in the villa's living room, sunlight slanting through the windows in the same gentle angle as before. The soft weight of Mo Yan remained in her arms, and Mo Xingxue's head still rested peacefully against her shoulder.
It was just a dream?
Su Wanyan exhaled slowly. "How weird," she muttered under her breath, voice still rough with sleep. Why on earth had she dreamed about her and Mo Xingxue sharing a child? The image lingered for a second longer, sending another small chill down her spine.
"What is?" Qin Yuran asked, her tone playful.
Su Wanyan turned her head and realized all the awake guests were now looking at her with curious, amused expressions.
"Awake now?" Han Jiho asked, leaning back comfortably on the sofa.
Su Wanyan nodded and sent them an apologetic smile. "How long was I out?" Her voice came out husky from sleep.
"Not that long," Song Meiyu answered kindly. "Just twenty-five minutes or so."
Su Wanyan murmured her thanks and blinked several times, trying to shake off the lingering drowsiness. She rubbed her eyes lightly with her free hand.
"Hey, don't pretend you didn't hear my question," Qin Yuran teased again, leaning forward with a grin.
Su Wanyan turned to her and stuck her tongue out playfully. "Not telling ya."
Qin Yuran rolled her eyes dramatically but let it go with a laugh. Su Wanyan chuckled softly in return, then let her gaze drift to Mo Xingxue, who was still sleeping soundly against her shoulder.
Wow.. she really is beautiful, Su Wanyan thought, momentarily captivated.
Mo Xingxue slept with the stillness of freshly fallen snow. Even in repose, she carried an ethereal, almost untouchable elegance—like a cold beauty carved from moonlit marble.
Her features were finely sculpted: sharp yet graceful cheekbones, long lashes resting delicately against pale skin touched with the faintest natural blush. Her lips, soft and naturally rosy, parted slightly with each quiet, even breath.
Silken black hair spilled in smooth waves over Su Wanyan's shoulder and down her back, catching the light like dark water shimmering under moonlight. There was something glacial about her beauty—pristine and breathtaking, evoking winter dawns, frozen lakes, and stars trapped in ice. Yet sleep had gentled her, softening the usual aloofness and making her look younger, more vulnerable, almost tender.
Su Wanyan's eyes lowered to Mo Yan who still nestled securely in her arms. Little Mo Yan looked as though she had been shaped from the exact same delicate mold. She had the same tiny straight nose, the same soft bow of a mouth, and the same long lashes brushing against round, rosy cheeks.
Even her sleeping expression mirrored her mother's tranquil calm, as if Mo Xingxue's face had been gently miniaturized. Fine wisps of dark hair framed the baby's forehead, glowing faintly in the warm light.
Mo Yan's small hand rested trustingly against Su Wanyan's chest, tiny fingers curled loosely. Her soft breaths rose and fell in perfect sync with the woman sleeping beside her—mother and daughter bound together even in dreams.
Su Wanyan let out a quiet, fond laugh, warmth blooming in her chest as she admired the peaceful duo.
Just then, Mo Xingxue's eyes cracked open slowly. Her sharp phoenix eyes were softened by lingering sleepiness, making them appear gentler than usual.
"Oh, sorry," Su Wanyan whispered. "Did I wake you?"
Mo Xingxue shook her head without a word. Instead, she snuggled closer, tightening her arms around Su Wanyan's waist in a sleepy hug, then closed her eyes again as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Su Wanyan: ??!
Her heart fluttered wildly, as though someone were tickling it with soft feathers. She resisted the sudden urge to squeak in shock. Calm down, gay me. Calm down.
The barrage, of course, was having the time of its life.
[LOL, LOOK AT SU WANYAN LOOKING ALL FLUSTERED.]
[Seriously, they are SO CUTE!]
[Guys, I'm not kidding anymore—they seriously look like a picturesque family.]
[Su Wanyan's willpower is strong. If I were her, I'd already marked Mo Xingxue right then and there.]
[You do know you could get jailed for that, right?]
[JAIL, BROTHERRR.]
[Am I the only one noticing they call each other by nicknames?]
Su Wanyan quickly brushed the fluster aside and glanced at Qin Yuran. Luckily, the other woman hadn't seemed to notice her momentary panic. That would have led to endless teasing.
However, from the corner of her eye, she caught Gu Chengze staring at her with clenched fists and pure hatred burning in his gaze, as if he were one second away from lunging.
Su Wanyan met his eyes for a brief moment, then deliberately looked away. Ha. Best to avoid trouble.
Just then, Lin Xuanyu's energetic voice cut through the quiet. "Oh! Why don't we light a campfire outside later? We can just sit around, talk, and do a question-and-answer session!"
Zhao Yichen clapped his hands together. "Great idea!" He turned to PD Xu Cui with bright eyes. "PD, do we have the equipment for a campfire?"
PD Xu Cui nodded calmly. "We have tents and chairs in the storage room."
"Ah, and we also have an axe," the PD added casually.
The awake guests shot him questioning looks.
PD Xu Cui smiled benevolently. "You'll be chopping the firewood yourselves."
Everyone froze.
Qin Yuran laughed nervously. "Oh, we must've heard something wrong. Can you repeat that, PD?"
Unfazed, PD Xu Cui repeated with the same gentle smile, "You'll chop your own firewood."
"We'll.. ch-chop our own firewood?" Zhao Yichen asked, pointing at the group in disbelief.
"Otherwise?" PD Xu Cui replied innocently.
Qin Yuran slumped dramatically. "We're cooked."