Chapter 52: Ch 52: White Roses and Gentle Teases

Back at the final platform, tension crackled in the air like static before a storm. Su Wanyan stood blindfolded, every sense heightened by the Perfect Foundation Potion. The faint but unmistakable aroma of white roses drifted toward her—soft, elegant, and deceptively pure.

Shit, I don’t want to get associated with this guy! Su Wanyan thought, a cold sweat breaking across her back. She took a careful step backward, then another, creating distance while maintaining silence as per the rules.

The live barrage mirrored her anxiety in real time:

[Back up, bitch. BACK UP!]

[I can’t do this today, man. This is not funny. I got school!]

[Clutching my pearls so hard rn.]

[I’m scared!]

[Choose one—back up or I’m gonna beat your ass up. Choose one!]

[I’m a big Lin Xuanyu fan, but don’t you dare get close to Su Wanyan, Yuyu! Don’t you dare!]

Lin Xuanyu continued his slow, deliberate approach, hands slightly outstretched. The white rose scent grew stronger, cloying and insistent. Su Wanyan’s muscles tensed, ready to evade again.

Then, a familiar touch came from the side—gentle yet decisive. Slender fingers found hers, intertwining with quiet confidence. The scent that followed was the clean, elegant chill of snow lotus, unmistakable and instantly comforting. Relief flooded Su Wanyan’s entire body.

It’s her.

Mo Xingxue confirmed it with a subtle exploration of Su Wanyan’s hand, her touch light and knowing. A small, satisfied smile curved her lips beneath her own blindfold. Without hesitation, she tugged Su Wanyan gently but firmly, pulling her back toward safety.

The staff made no move to intervene, allowing the moment to unfold naturally. Mo Xingxue continued guiding her until they reached what felt like their original area.

Once clear, both Su Wanyan and Mo Xingxue removed their blindfolds. Su Wanyan blinked against the returning light, adjusting her golden-rimmed glasses with one hand while still holding Mo Xingxue’s with the other. A gentle poke landed on her cheek. She looked down to find Mo Xingxue smiling up at her, eyes sparkling with playful triumph.

"Found you," Mo Xingxue said, her voice warm with a soft chuckle.

Su Wanyan was momentarily stunned by her beauty—the way the afternoon sunlight caught the gold leaf earrings and highlighted the elegant lines of her face. Her own mouth curled upward unconsciously, eyes twinkling with deep affection. "Yeah.. thanks," she replied, her smile bright and genuine.

Mo Xingxue didn’t let go of her hand, and for some reason, Su Wanyan found she didn’t want her to either. The simple connection felt grounding amid the chaos of the course.

"Announcement!" PD Xu Cui’s voice rang out cheerfully across the park. "Su Wanyan and Mo Xingxue are the first pair to finish the course!"

Cheers erupted from the other guests. Song Meiyu and Han Jiho clapped warmly for them. Qin Yuran and Zhao Yichen, still midway through their own chaotic climb, nearly lost their balance but caught themselves just in time. They howled in celebration for their friends before resuming their improvised teamwork with renewed laughter.

Gu Chengze, several platforms below and still struggling, felt as though he had swallowed a bitter pill. It’s because of those two dumb idiots! Gu Chengze thought furiously, referring to Qin Yuran and Zhao Yichen. He accelerated his climb with raw anger, muscles burning. I’m going to take my revenge on you, Su Wanyan! His whole body shook with suppressed rage.

Lin Xuanyu was equally furious, though he hid it behind a fragile mask. I was so close! he seethed inwardly. He had been inches away from Su Wanyan, ready to execute his carefully planned seduction—light "accidental" touches, a vulnerable compliment about her pheromones, and a soft plea for forgiveness. It had worked on other alphas before. But Mo Xingxue had pulled her away at the critical moment.

That woman is annoying, he thought, secretly biting his thumb. If he wanted to use Su Wanyan as a pawn to secure Gu Chengze, he would first need to deal with Mo Xingxue. The question was how. Schemes and calculations churned behind his tearful, devoted facade as he continued navigating the course.

+-+-+-+-+-+

Meanwhile, Su Wanyan and Mo Xingxue walked side by side back toward little Mo Yan’s stroller, their fingers still comfortably intertwined. The afternoon sunlight filtered through the windows of the park, casting dappled golden patterns across the path and warming their skin.

The distant sounds of the ongoing challenges—shouts, laughter, and the occasional thud of bodies against padded mats—faded into a gentle background hum. For a moment, it felt as though the bustling variety show had narrowed down to just the two of them and the quiet joy of victory.

"Do we get to pick the restaurant we’ll be going to?" Su Wanyan asked, her voice light with curiosity as she glanced at Mo Xingxue.

Mo Xingxue shrugged elegantly, the plaid shawl slipping slightly on her shoulder. "I don’t know, but if we do, I have an idea where."

Su Wanyan’s eyes twinkled with immediate excitement. She turned fully toward her best friend, a bright grin spreading across her face. "You’re thinking about what I’m thinking, right?"

Mo Xingxue laughed, the sound full of adoration and tenderness that made her phoenix eyes curve beautifully. "Yeah. Ms. Hua’s place, right?"

Su Wanyan’s eyes brightened even more, almost glowing. "Yeah!" She nodded repeatedly, enthusiasm bubbling over. Su Wanyan looked away, recalling the original owner’s memories. "Man, I want to eat her xiaolongbao again so much." Her stomach chose that exact moment to rumble audibly, a low, protesting growl that made her laugh sheepishly.

Mo Xingxue’s gaze softened with amusement, though a hint of pity lingered in her expression. Su Wanyan must be really hungry, she thought. Without conscious thought, she rubbed her thumb gently over Su Wanyan’s in that old, familiar comforting habit they had shared since childhood.

Su Wanyan noticed immediately and understood the silent worry. She turned to Mo Xingxue with a reassuring smile and gave her hand a gentle but firm squeeze, as if to say, I’m okay.

Mo Xingxue nodded in understanding, but the concern didn’t fully leave her eyes. Su Wanyan’s heart softened at the sight. She reached out with her free hand and gently smoothed the faint crease between Mo Xingxue’s brows. "You’ll get wrinkles if you do that," she teased, laughing at her own lighthearted joke.

Mo Xingxue glared at her playfully and swatted Su Wanyan’s hand away. "Why? You won’t love me anymore if I’m old and wrinkly?" There was a sharpness in her voice, but it was laced with something vulnerable and expectant.

Su Wanyan was momentarily taken aback, but the expression quickly melted into pure fondness. She’s so cute, she thought, like a sulking cat secretly waiting to be comforted. She hid the thought carefully, not wanting to risk Mo Xingxue’s playful wrath.

"Hey, I’m not saying that," Su Wanyan replied tenderly, her eyes dripping with sincere affection. "I promise you—even if you get old and wrinkly, I’ll still love you the same. If I lie, I’ll gouge out my glands and cut the thing down there as punishment," she declared resolutely, her voice firm and unwavering.

Mo Xingxue’s serious facade finally cracked. She laughed, bright and genuine. "You promise?" she asked again, seeking confirmation.

Su Wanyan nodded repeatedly. "Yeah, I promise."

Mo Xingxue shook her head, still smiling. "You’re just saying that because there’s a camera," she teased, pointing toward a cameraman discreetly following them with a steady lens.

Su Wanyan gasped dramatically, looking genuinely offended. "Am not!" She turned directly toward the camera. "Can someone clip that out and send it to Mo Xingxue?" she asked the viewers earnestly.

The barrage responded with chaotic enthusiasm:

[Of course, I’ll do it right now.]

[Cute, cute, CUTE!!]

[They are basically a married couple. The only thing missing is the marriage certificate.]

[They’ll go get that when the show ends, trust.]

[That’s highly likely. I think there was a rumor back in the day that Mo Xingxue was engaged, maybe it was Su Wanyan.]

[Source?]

[Source: Trust me, bro.]

[LOL!]

While most of the audience reveled in the sweetness, a smaller, bitter segment voiced skepticism:

[Hey, don’t do something that you’ll regret in the future, Su Wanyan.]

[Yeah, as an alpha who has been married for 30 years, I know how hard it is to resist temptation.]

[Exactly, Su Wanyan is just running her mouth again, smh.]

[Su Wanyan keeps saying all these ambiguous things, but I’m sure as hell she has many canaries behind Mo Xingxue’s back.]

The fans if the two erupted in outrage, fiercely defending the pair.

[Don’t compare Su Wanyan to the likes of you!]

[Fr, y’all are just trying to sabotage her.]

[Yeah, and wdym she has many canaries? If you background check her, she has the cleanest reputation in all of the med industry.]

[Fr, not even a single scandal.]

[Yeah, and even her co-pediatricians always teased her by calling her Monk Su as she practices extreme celibacy (this is from when the media interviewed her co-workers as they said that Su Wanyan didn’t want to have media exposure).]

Meanwhile the two women involved in the issue remained wrapped in their own warm, lovey-dovey bubble, blissfully unaware of the online storm. Mo Xingxue looked at Su Wanyan with teasing mischief in her eyes, though a hint of sharpness lingered beneath. "So confident?"

"Of course!" Su Wanyan exclaimed. "I’m sure I won’t do that in the future, after all."

"Uh-huh. And why is that?" Mo Xingxue pressed. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Su Wanyan’s smile widened, radiant and sincere. "Of course it’s because I’ll be busy taking care of you and Mo Yan!" she declared. She added lightly, almost as an afterthought, "Oh, and I’ll be busy with work," lamenting her future responsibilities.

Mo Xingxue didn’t quite register the last part, her focus lingering on the tender promise. Her stomach fluttered strangely, and her pulse quickened.

"So!" Su Wanyan suddenly exclaimed, snapping Mo Xingxue out of her daze. She untangled their fingers only to cup both of Mo Xingxue’s cheeks gently with warm palms. "Fear not, for I don’t intend to add anything to that schedule of mine."

Mo Xingxue stared at her, stunned, cheeks flushing under the gentle hold. Su Wanyan savored the moment, eyes soft with affection.

Then she felt a light hit to her side. "Ouch!" Su Wanyan exclaimed, exaggerating the reaction for effect.

Mo Xingxue pulled free, her cheeks still beautifully pink. "This dense idiot," she muttered under her breath, though the words held no real bite—only deep affection.

Su Wanyan laughed softly, her enhanced hearing catching every word. She quickly caught up to Mo Xingxue, who had started walking ahead, and tangled their hands together once more. "Your idiot," she said warmly.

Mo Xingxue blushed harder, but she didn’t pull away. The two continued walking hand-in-hand toward little Mo Yan, the golden autumn light wrapping around them like a gentle promise of its own.