Stick out your tongue

Lin Yuxuan was half-pushed, half-pulled by Mu Yue into the cooking club next door—her “temporary kitchen,” as it turned out.

That smell earlier… was it Mu Yue’s cooking?

But wait—didn’t she belong to the anime club? Why is she hanging out here?

“Since the cooking club’s space is mostly unused, I rent it as my personal kitchen. I cook lunch here every day—it’s just one of my little hobbies.”

Mu Yue, noticing her hesitation, gently explained as if reading her mind.

“Oh, I see.”

“Anyway, I just made some sizzling squid and spicy fish tofu. Come try it~”

Before Yuxuan could respond, Mu Yue had already handed her a set of clean chopsticks and a bowl.

Taken by surprise, she could only accept.

“Can you handle spicy food? My dishes are a little spicy~”

Mu Yue asked with a sweet smile.

Yuxuan loved spicy food back in her past life—never had enough of it.
But since becoming a girl, she hadn’t had the chance to eat anything remotely spicy.
That alone was a tragedy.

But more importantly…

She still remembered the simulation—how refusing Mu Yue’s food led to her tragic end in a bathtub.

Thinking about that still gave her PTSD!

Even if it wasn’t *that* kind of situation,
it was better to be safe than sorry.

So she nodded quickly and accepted the squid skewer Mu Yue handed her.

“It’s still hot~ Don’t rush it, blow on it a bit~”

Mu Yue spoke with the gentle patience of a mother teaching a child.

Yuxuan blushed slightly—she wasn’t a kid anymore.
But somehow, Mu Yue’s overly sweet tone made her feel warm inside.

She took a small bite.

The spicy aroma hit her nose first—then the explosion of flavor.
The squid had been perfectly marinated, the sizzling heat locking in its freshness.
Juices burst in her mouth, enhanced by Mu Yue’s refined cooking skills.

The layers of seasoning danced on her tongue.

“Mmm~ So good~ This is amazing~”

Even though it was spicy, she loved it.

Seeing the white-haired beauty approve of her cooking, Mu Yue felt a wave of relief.

She had been worried girls wouldn’t like spicy food—but now it seemed like they had something in common.

For the first time, she felt like she had found a *real* friend.

And this girl looked *exactly* like the one from her dreams…

Wait a second…
Didn’t I see her in the supermarket a few days ago?

She suddenly remembered the white-haired girl she had seen buying groceries—
and how she missed the chance to say hello.

“We… have we met before?” Mu Yue’s eyes lit up with sudden realization.

“Eh…? Have we?”
Yuxuan’s heart clenched just from being looked at like that.

Because in the simulation, she had been a terrible woman—
toying with Mu Yue’s feelings,
and even involving her mother in… questionable situations.

She still had a guilty conscience from that night in the simulator.

So of course she felt uneasy.

To hide her embarrassment, she kept eating the squid—
her cherry lips now smeared with red chili oil.

“Oh right! I think I saw you in the supermarket when I was buying ingredients.”

Mu Yue recalled.

“O-Oh, that? I think we might’ve… but I wasn’t really paying attention back then. I didn’t know you yet, so I don’t remember clearly. Sorry~”
Yuxuan gave a gentle, ambiguous smile.

“Hmm, okay~ No worries.”

Mu Yue had originally felt like this Xuanxuan and the one from her dreams were strangely similar.
She looked at her the same way, like she already knew her.

Wait…
Didn’t she call my name back then?

“You… you called my name, didn’t you?”

Mu Yue’s sudden question caught Yuxuan off guard.

Yuxuan thought she had dodged the bullet—
but now she was cornered again.

How could she answer this?

I know you because I *emotionally manipulated* you in a simulation?
And then later, *emotionally manipulated your mom* too?

That’s definitely confession-level suicide!

This couldn’t be explained—only denied.

“I didn’t say your name! I didn’t even know you then. You must’ve misheard~”

Yuxuan put on a look of exaggerated surprise, her expression full of false innocence.

【Skill Activated: “The Actor’s Art”】

Yuxuan swore she just heard the system whisper that in her ear.

Mu Yue studied her expression carefully.

Xuanxuan doesn’t seem like she’s lying… I must’ve just imagined it.
That’s probably it—just a side effect of all those dreams.

“Haha, yeah, I must’ve misheard. Anyway, are you sure you can handle all that spice? You’ve been eating it like it’s nothing.”

Yuxuan hadn’t even noticed.

She had been so flustered from the conversation, she kept eating without realizing how much chili she was consuming.

Until now.

“H-Huh…? Did I eat that much?”

The moment she realized, the fire hit her.

“Oww… it’s so spicy…”

Her pale, delicate face flushed red.

A small pink tongue peeked out, fanning her mouth in reflex.

Her eyes watered, slightly unfocused—
a single tear clung to her lashes.

“This is…”

Mu Yue’s face turned red too.

Okay, this is embarrassing to watch, but also kinda cute… I’m sorry, Xuanxuan! I didn’t mean to put you through this!

Mu Yue mentally kowtowed in apology.

In reality, she quickly rushed to the fridge to find something to cool Yuxuan down.

Yuxuan never expected her new body to be so weak to spice.
Back in her previous life, she was a chili-eating champ.

But now, as a girl, even a little spice was overwhelming.

“Here~”

Mu Yue returned with a cold glass of milk—perfect for easing the burn.

“Thanks~”

Yuxuan chugged it in one go.
The cooling relief was instant.

“Don’t eat so fast next time~ It’s not good for you~”

Mu Yue gently dabbed the corners of Yuxuan’s mouth with a disinfectant wipe—
careful not to let her lips swell from the spice.

“Mm… got it~” Yuxuan mumbled, wishing the floor would swallow her whole.

She had completely forgotten her new body’s limits.
Now she was being taken care of like a child by this red-haired girl who acted like a mother hen.

Too embarrassing!