Taolani had originally decided not to explain anymore.
After all, her relationship with this Elf wasn’t that deep.
If the Little Elf refused to listen to her explanation and decided to just leave, that was fine.
It wouldn’t be a loss for her.
In fact, clinging desperately would be completely unbefitting of her status as a Princess.
However, all those thoughts vanished the moment she saw the sobbing Mo Baiwei.
How could she even think of treating such a pure and innocent Little Elf like that?
She was a real jerk!
Seeing Mo Baiwei in this state, Taolani felt like slapping herself.
She quickly changed back to her original form and hurried over to stand in front of Mo Baiwei.
Mo Baiwei wasn’t much taller than Taolani.
Compared to Weibai, she would only reach about his chest.
“Little Weiwei, don’t cry. If something’s wrong, just tell me,” Taolani said, squatting down and reaching out a hand to comfort her.
“Don’t touch me!”
Mo Baiwei stubbornly dodged Taolani’s hand.
Looking at the tearful Mo Baiwei before her, Taolani felt her head starting to ache.
She regretted teasing the little Elf this morning.
It seemed the effects were still lingering, and the Elf was still angry with her.
“Are you talking about that Haila fruit?”
Taolani realized this and immediately tried to explain.
If she didn’t explain now, this little Elf might just cut ties with her completely.
For some reason, she deeply didn’t want to lose this little Elf.
Even Taolani herself didn’t understand why she, usually so decisive, was acting so hesitant when it came to Mo Baiwei.
“That Haila fruit… I just wanted to tease you a little. I didn’t mean anything else by it,” Taolani explained, moving closer to Mo Baiwei as she spoke.
“You’re lying!”
Mo Baiwei choked back a sob and retorted, “Haila fruit has double the effect on Elves, and there are hidden effects too! I know all about it!”
“That’s true…”
“Then why did you give it to me? You knew!”
Hearing her words, Mo Baiwei felt even more wronged.
There had been a sliver of hope that the other party simply didn’t know the fruit’s effects.
Now, that hope was completely gone, leaving only the feeling of being made a fool.
“It’s not like that. Listen to me,” Taolani said hastily, seeing Mo Baiwei getting more upset.
“It’s true that Haila fruit has special effects on Elves, but those effects are positive! It can replenish your mana!”
Upon hearing this, Mo Baiwei cried even harder.
Her quiet sobs turned into audible weeping.
This despicable Blood Demon!
She knew she had no mana at all, yet she still gave her this fruit to humiliate her!
She was really too mean!
Thinking this, Mo Baiwei felt more and more aggrieved.
She simply plopped down on the floor and began to wail loudly.
“Waaah! You’re bullying me! You know I don’t have any mana, and you still gave me this fruit!”
“You think I’m easy to bully and wanted to humiliate me! Since I have no way to fight back, it just suits your purpose!”
“Someone like me, with no mana, you could find a handful with one hand! You don’t take me seriously at all! If you wanted to, I could only let you do whatever you want right now!”
As Taolani listened to Mo Baiwei’s words, she keenly picked up on a key piece of information.
She naturally didn’t take Mo Baiwei’s angry words at face value, but she noticed a problem—this little Elf said she had no mana.
The moment she heard that sentence, Taolani instinctively found it hard to believe.
As the race with the deepest mana reserves in this world, how could an Elf possibly have no mana?
Who would believe that?
“Little Weiwei, stop crying. You said you have no mana?”
Taolani took advantage of the moment Mo Baiwei was sitting on the floor wiping her tears.
She stepped forward, wrapped her arms around her, and asked softly.
“Does having no mana mean I deserve to be bullied?!”
Mo Baiwei was in no state to discern the other’s attitude now.
She just wanted to vent properly.
Faced with Taolani’s earlier actions, even her usually gentle and placid self couldn’t help but get angry.
Hearing the little Elf’s petulant words, Taolani also felt she had gone too far.
“I didn’t mean it like that,” Taolani soothed in a gentle voice, patting the girl’s back in her arms while wiping the tear stains from her cheeks.
“Haila fruit really is used to replenish mana, but I didn’t know you had no mana. I thought after I left, you’d be curious and try a bite,” Taolani said, her gentle gaze meeting Mo Baiwei’s sorrowful eyes.
“If you had tasted it, you’d know I wasn’t lying.”
“Really?” Mo Baiwei asked upon hearing this, sniffling hard, her eyes still brimming with tears.
“Really.”
Worrying that just saying it wasn’t enough, Taolani raised three fingers and pointed them toward the ceiling.
“I swear.”
Mo Baiwei looked at Taolani, who was holding her, and sensed a comforting aura from her.
Maybe… this Blood Demon was telling the truth? Maybe she really just had a mischievous streak and wanted to tease her, not that she had some ulterior motive?
But Mo Baiwei quickly thought of a very clever idea.
She took the Haila fruit from her Concealment Ring.
Pinching one end of the fruit with two fingers, she offered the other end to Taolani.
“Then you take a bite first.”
“You want me to eat it?”
Taolani’s arms around Mo Baiwei stiffened for an instant before quickly relaxing.
It seemed the joke had gone too far.
Originally, giving the little Elf the Haila fruit was just to secretly see the cute expression the Elf would make when she couldn’t suppress the pleasure after eating it.
If there was a chance, she could even ask the Elf some more intimate questions.
She never expected Mo Baiwei would recognize the Haila fruit, and that her reaction would be this intense.
She knew exactly what kind of behavior she would exhibit if she ate the Haila fruit herself.
At that point, her innermost thoughts would be laid bare before Mo Baiwei, with no possibility of concealment.
Mo Baiwei could ask her anything, and she would answer every question until the effects wore off.
But if she refused now, the little Elf would definitely suspect her and start to dislike her, right?
She had really played herself this time.
She had truly picked up a stone only to drop it on her own foot.
“What’s wrong? You don’t even dare to eat it?”
Seeing Taolani’s hesitation, Mo Baiwei spoke up, her tone full of sadness and dejection.
Hearing Mo Baiwei’s despondent tone, Taolani gritted her teeth and made a decision on the spot.
“Fine! As long as Little Weiwei believes me, I’ll eat it!”
Taolani declared.
The trick she had prepared to tease the little Elf was now being forced down her own throat.
But she had no other choice now. Whose idea was it to give the little Elf a Haila fruit in the first place?
Taking one look at the red fruit before her, Taolani closed her eyes and took a bite.
Sweet juice burst open in her mouth.
Taolani could also feel her lips and teeth brush against Mo Baiwei’s slender fingers.
The little Elf’s fingers were like lollipops.
Whether it was the influence of the Haila fruit’s juice on her taste buds or not, she thought the little Elf’s fingers tasted sweet too.
Feeling something soft touch her finger, Mo Baiwei was stunned for a moment.
Then, her face flushed red from head to neck, her entire face glowing with shyness.
Just then, the Haila fruit began to take effect.
As the fruit went down, emotions flooded her mind.
Taolani felt her head grow heavy, as if filled with lead.
Her thoughts grew sluggish, and a massive, inexplicable sense of pleasure welled up.
In her last moments of clarity, she looked at Mo Baiwei, a hint of pleading in her gaze.
She hoped Mo Baiwei wouldn’t do anything too extreme to her.
“Stop eating my finger…”
Mo Baiwei whispered, her face still red.
But Taolani couldn’t think that clearly anymore.
She still held Mo Baiwei’s finger in her mouth, her gaze beginning to grow hazy.
As she looked at Mo Baiwei, a more complex emotion rose from the depths of her eyes, gradually spreading to cover all her other feelings.
Leaving only one thing behind—
Attachment.