While the Mo sisters were quietly mending years of fractured trust at the table, Su Wanyan remained under the cool shade of a large, leafy tree, still gently playing with the wide-awake Mo Yan.

The afternoon sunlight filtered through the leaves above, casting soft, shifting patterns of gold across her olive-green overshirt and Mo Yan’s pastel yellow outfit. The air carried the gentle scent of blooming flowers mixed with the faint, earthy aroma of the zoo grounds.

Su Wanyan looked down at the little girl with undeniable tenderness, her fingers lightly pinching the baby’s chubby cheeks.

Mo Yan squealed in delight, her little face lighting up with unfiltered happiness. The baby’s eyes crinkled into happy crescents, tiny hands waving as she giggled. Her gummy smile was so bright and infectious that Su Wanyan couldn’t help but grin back, her baby fever growing dangerously worse with every passing second.

She continued playing, gently squishing Mo Yan’s cheeks into different silly shapes—first into a fish face, then into puffed-up hamster cheeks. Mo Yan giggled and cooed, waving her little fists in excitement.

"Are you turning my daughter into a stress ball?" a familiar, melodious voice asked from behind her, laced with amusement.

Su Wanyan looked up and smiled brightly. "Yes. She’s my personal stress ball now."

Mo Xingxue laughed, the sound clear and melodious like soft silver bells ringing in the gentle breeze. It washed over Su Wanyan’s ears and settled warmly in her chest.

Su Wanyan studied her carefully. Mo Xingxue’s expression looked lighter now, more rejuvenated—the heavy tension from earlier had clearly eased. Whatever conversation she’d had with Mo Fangyue, it seemed to have brought some kind of resolution.

"Oh," Su Wanyan suddenly remembered. "The PD said we can head back to the villa now."

"Okay," Mo Xingxue replied, glancing around. "Where are the others?"

"They’re waiting for us at the van," Su Wanyan explained.

Mo Xingxue nodded. "Un. Let’s go?"

Su Wanyan carefully placed the now sleepy Mo Yan back into the stroller. The two women walked side by side at a leisurely pace, Su Wanyan pushing the stroller while Mo Xingxue walked close enough that their arms occasionally brushed.

+-+-+-+-+-+

When they reached the van, the staff were still busy loading equipment. Cameras, tripods, lighting gear, and cables were being carefully packed away. The three of them waited calmly at the side, watching the organized chaos.

One of the staff members looked up and noticed them. "Teacher Mo, Teacher Su, I apologize, but this might take a while," she said with an apologetic smile.

Su Wanyan returned the smile gently. "It’s fine."

Mo Xingxue nodded in agreement. "We don’t mind waiting."

The staff member looked relieved, though still a little troubled. "Then.. you guys can walk around a bit more if you’d like. We’ll call you when everything is ready."

"Okay," Su Wanyan said. She glanced around, her stomach giving a quiet rumble. She had barely touched her sandwich earlier before Mo Fangyue’s arrival, and now she was quite hungry. Mo Xingxue noticed the subtle look and let out a soft chuckle.

She pointed toward a nearby stall. "Shall we go grab a bite?"

Su Wanyan blinked, then smiled wryly. "Was I that obvious?"

Mo Xingxue’s eyes curved beautifully. "A little."

The two moved leisurely toward the crepe stall, Su Wanyan pushing the stroller while Mo Xingxue walked beside her. The air around the food area was filled with the sweet scent of warm batter, melted chocolate, and fresh fruit. They each ordered one—Su Wanyan chose a classic Nutella and banana crepe, while Mo Xingxue went for a simpler strawberry and cream version.

They found a quiet table nearby and sat down. Su Wanyan took her first bite and her eyes immediately formed happy crescents. "Mmm," she hummed in satisfaction, the warm, slightly crisp crepe melting perfectly with the rich chocolate and sweet banana. Her whole body language showed pure enjoyment.

Mo Xingxue watched her with open amusement before taking her own bite. The crepe was good—sweet and fresh—but a little too sugary for her taste. Still, she ate slowly, savoring the moment more than the food itself.

Su Wanyan continued eating with obvious delight, nodding to herself after every bite. The two sat in comfortable silence for a while, simply enjoying the peaceful afternoon and each other’s quiet company. Birds chirped overhead, and a light breeze carried the distant sounds of children laughing.

Then Su Wanyan noticed Mo Xingxue clearing her throat a few times. Without a word, she stood up and walked back to the stall. When she returned, she was holding two bottles of cold water. She handed one to Mo Xingxue, the cap already opened.

"Here," she said softly. "To cleanse your throat and mouth."

Mo Xingxue accepted the bottle with a grateful smile. She noticed the cap was already loosened and felt a quiet warmth bloom in her chest at the small, thoughtful gesture. She took a sip, the cool water refreshing after the sweetness of the crepe.

"The crepe was good, right?" Su Wanyan excitedly asked.

"It was really good," Mo Xingxue replied honestly. "But it’s a bit too sweet. I don’t think I can finish it."

Su Wanyan nodded without hesitation. "You can give the leftovers to me later."

Mo Xingxue froze. A fresh blush crept up her cheeks, spreading warmly. Still, she nodded, albeit a little stiffly.

Su Wanyan, of course, didn’t think much of it. In the original owner’s memories, this had been completely normal—whenever Mo Xingxue couldn’t finish her food, she would casually pass it to her childhood friend. Also, Su Wanyan wasn’t a germaphobe, so there was no reason to make it awkward.

She finished her own crepe happily and glanced down at Mo Yan, who was sleeping peacefully in the stroller, little mouth slightly open. Su Wanyan chuckled softly and reached over to gently close it, sneaking in one last affectionate pinch on the baby’s cheek.

"Ahem."

Su Wanyan looked up to see Mo Xingxue silently offering her the rest of her crepe. "Are you full?" she asked as she accepted it.

"Un." Mo Xingxue nodded.

Su Wanyan smiled and murmured a quick "thank you" before taking a bite. Mo Xingxue watched her eat with quiet fascination. The blush on her cheeks deepened and spread. To any outsider, the simple act of one woman calmly finishing the other’s food looked incredibly intimate.

"What a lovely couple," an elderly woman at the next table murmured with a motherly smile.

Mo Xingxue’s cheeks burned even hotter. She discreetly glanced over and saw two older women watching them fondly.

"Yeah, and look at her alpha," the second woman said. "What a well-mannered one she is."

Mo Xingxue felt a mix of embarrassment and an unexpected flicker of pride. She wanted to correct them—to say they weren’t together—but another part of her, quieter and warmer, didn’t entirely mind the assumption.

One of the women sighed. "If only my husband was like that. He would complain if I offered him my leftovers."

"I agree," the other replied. "Mine would ignore me for a week."

Mo Xingxue felt a pang of sympathy for them. Even in this modern world, some toxic alpha mindsets lingered strongly, especially in entertainment and business circles, where power often came with entitlement.

She turned her gaze back to Su Wanyan and felt her heart soften. Luckily, my childhood friend isn’t like that.

Throughout all the years they had known each other, Su Wanyan had never displayed those overbearing alpha traits. She was comfortable letting Mo Xingxue take the lead, happy to follow, and never demanded control. It was refreshing.

Mo Xingxue smiled softly to herself, the blush on her face calming but still present.

Su Wanyan, blissfully unaware of the whispers, continued eating until she felt eyes on her. She looked up to find Mo Xingxue staring with a small, soft smile.

Then Mo Xingxue suddenly burst into laughter—clear, melodious chuckles that warmed Su Wanyan’s heart.

"What? What’s wrong?" Su Wanyan asked, confused.

Mo Xingxue wiped a tear from the corner of her eye and pointed at the corner of her own lips. Su Wanyan froze, then licked the spot and tasted something sweet—leftover cream.

Her face flushed instantly. She looked down, embarrassed.

Mo Xingxue laughed even louder at her flustered reaction. Su Wanyan looked up with an aggrieved expression, which only made Mo Xingxue laugh harder, though she tried to hold it back.

"Fine, fine, I won’t laugh anymore," Mo Xingxue said, clearly failing.

Su Wanyan pouted and muttered, "Whatever.."

Mo Xingxue’s laughter rang out again, bright and unrestrained. Su Wanyan felt all her grievance melt away at the sound. Fine, she thought, the corners of her mouth lifting. I’ll keep being a clown as long as it makes you this happy.

Mo Xingxue’s joyful laughter drew the attention of the two elderly women again. They smiled warmly.

"I wish them a long, happy life," one whispered.

The other nodded, looking at the "couple" with tender affection.