A Sweet Temptation and a Bitter Aftertaste

Qing Zixi genuinely wished she could shoot an arrow into Zi Yun’ai’s knee, just to make her settle down. At the very least, she wanted Zi Yun’ai to stop pressing her knee against Qing Zixi’s backside.

Perhaps Qing Zixi’s fervent wish resonated, for Zi Yun’ai truly did quiet down. However, even as her knee ceased its restless movements, the hand she had been using to help squeeze the cream descended once more.

‘Eek!’

‘What was that? A snake!?’

Qing Zixi hadn’t bought any new clothes, so she was still wearing the same outfit she had on when she first left Zi Yun’ai’s home. The purple pleated skirt only reached mid-thigh.

As it was Zi Yun’ai’s own clothing, she naturally understood its design. And as for Qing Zixi’s body, its contours had been thoroughly explored by Zi Yun’ai that very night.

Outwardly, Zi Yun’ai beamed a flawless, invincible smile at the camera, praising the chosen fan for their exceptional talent in cake decorating. Her radiant face pressed close to Qing Zixi’s tender, flushed cheek, while one hand formed a ‘V’ sign, patiently awaiting the flurry of camera clicks from the fans.

Beneath the surface, however, another pair of nimble hands, like tiny snakes, had already slipped beneath the skirt’s hem. They glided upward along the smooth white stockings. Zi Yun’ai’s fingertips were warm, offering a soft sensation against her skin, utterly unlike a cold, stiff serpent.

Qing Zixi let out a small sigh of relief; she was utterly terrified of insects and snakes. Yet, almost immediately, Zi Yun’ai’s audacious movements caused Qing Zixi’s body to tremble slightly once more.

‘Namu Namu, my heart is like a still, clear mirror…’

Qing Zixi narrowed her eyes, her legs trembling. She strained to control her body’s movements, determined not to let the viewers behind the screen or those watching closely in person detect anything amiss.

‘If anything were to happen during a live broadcast, her career would surely be over.’

‘Such a thing must not happen!’

“Next, we just put it in the oven, right…?”

Having finally endured a torturous period, Qing Zixi now profoundly understood the meaning of ‘a day feeling like a year.’

At last, freed from her predicament, she sprang from the small stool like a startled rabbit. Carrying the plate with the cake, she then turned to the oven, a look of perplexity on her face.

‘I don’t know how to use it!’

“Hmm~ The final step is to place the cake in the oven to heat. Remember to adjust the temperature and time appropriately~”

Zi Yun’ai continued her explanation to the camera. Afterward, she helped Qing Zixi place her cake inside, then promptly inserted her own teaching demonstration cake as well.

*Bang!*

Zi Yun’ai stumbled, causing the watching audience’s hearts to leap into their throats.

“Oh dear, I almost messed that up~ Hehe~”

‘So cute!’

‘Even her clumsiness is adorable!’

“Alright, while the cakes are baking, it’s time for some fan Q&A! Does anyone have any questions~?”

Zi Yun’ai clenched her right hand, miming a microphone, and extended it forward. The live audience, who had been holding back for quite some time, erupted into a frenzy upon receiving Zi Yun’ai’s permission.

“Excuse me, Your Highness Ai, why would you come to a training camp that isn’t very popular? Is there a major show planned?!”

“May I ask, Your Highness Ai, why are you so intimate with that person?”

“Please, can we taste the special little cakes made by Your Highness Ai’s own hands!”

Everyone spoke over each other, a cacophony of voices. Zi Yun’ai merely narrowed her eyes, smiling as she gazed forward. Though the questions grew increasingly aggressive, and many delved into her personal privacy, she met them all with an adorable smile, weaving either charming lies or sweet prevarications, each response imbued with affection.

“Ah~ Your Highness Ai is actually willing to answer our questions one by one! She truly is an angel sent from heaven~”

Her words caused yet another person to fall for her, plunging them into the depths of her affection.

While everyone was still lost in Zi Yun’ai’s enchanting words, the cakes finished baking. An assistant retrieved them, and the photographer, understanding the cue, nodded and zoomed in, capturing shot after shot of the two beauties and their two modest-sized cakes.

“Care for a taste~?”

After concluding her interaction with the fans, the cakes had cooled somewhat. Just as Zi Yun’ai was pushing her fruit-filled cake towards Qing Zixi, the phone in her pocket began to ring.

She glanced at her assistant, then turned to the audience, her face etched with an apologetic expression.

“I need to take a call~ Please wait a moment~ You can pause filming now~”

As she departed, she lingeringly squeezed Qing Zixi’s hand.

Something damp had been smeared onto her hand. Qing Zixi, without a flicker of expression, picked up a cloth and wiped her palm clean, resolving to let the sweetness wash away her worries.

One bite, two bites…

‘So delicious!’

A remarkable expression bloomed on Qing Zixi’s face, as if all her previous restraint had finally been unleashed. She had initially intended not to eat too much, but the sweet, warm sensation, like a potent poison, eroded her self-control. She craved another bite, then another, until, snapping back to reality, she found that the cake in her hand was entirely gone.

‘Ah…’

‘I have to admit, Sister Yun’ai’s craftsmanship is… truly… excellent!’

She had originally planned to leave some for Zi Yun’ai’s fans. However, after Zi Yun’ai departed, many people immediately crowded forward. Some gazed with regret at the plate, which held only a few crumbs, while others sniffed the air, seeking Zi Yun’ai’s lingering scent.

“Hey, is there no cake left?!”

Wang Ba, at the forefront, pushed aside the people crowding him on either side. He frowned as he looked at Qing Zixi.

“That was made specially for us by Your Highness Ai! Who told you to touch it?”

“There’s, there’s some. Try this one, it’s very delicious.”

Qing Zixi cut her own cake into several pieces and pushed them towards him.

She had tasted a bite herself. While its appearance wasn’t particularly appealing, the taste wasn’t significantly different, as half the process had been completed under Zi Yun’ai’s personal guidance.

Qing Zixi reasonably suspected that Zi Yun’ai was using the public broadcast for personal gain, taking advantage of the show’s recording to tease her.

And to make matters worse, she couldn’t even openly mock her in front of the cameras. Damn it!

Zi Yun’ai had won this round.

*Crash!*

Just as Qing Zixi was lost in thought, she suddenly felt an odd force on the plate. A crisp shattering sound echoed, and the cake tumbled to the ground, where Wang Ba’s foot instantly stomped upon it.

“Oh dear, how terribly clumsy of me!”

A meaningful expression surfaced on Wang Ba’s face as he withdrew his large foot.

“Was the cake too heavy, perhaps? How could it just fall? Phew, good thing it didn’t hit me.”

As he passed Qing Zixi, he lowered his voice.

“Such an ugly cake, fit to be presented? What an embarrassment.”

‘Be careful!’

As soon as the incident occurred, nearby assistants and kitchen staff immediately rushed over with dustpans and brooms. They swiftly began sweeping up the shattered porcelain from the floor while simultaneously dispersing the crowd.

“Are you hurt?”

“Are you alright, young lady?”

“Hello?”

‘That… that was for Sister Yun’ai.’

Qing Zixi blinked her unfocused, tear-rimmed red eyes, forcing a smile.

“I’m fine.”

****