Chapter 46: I Like Both, I Love Both
At the moment she touched the dreamlike warmth, the illusion did not shatter like foam.
Zhu Zhuqing felt heat, felt comfort, felt a happiness she had never known before—so this wasn't a dream after all.
It was real!
Ever since she had been abandoned by Dai Mubai, Zhu Zhuqing had lived a life of endless despair within the cage that was the Star Luo Empire. Her world had lost all color.
Every day, she prayed to escape, unwilling to be reduced to a mere tool for childbirth. She longed for freedom with all her heart.
And today, the man who should only exist in dreams—her destined hero—had arrived. Though he didn't come with multicolored clouds beneath his feet, he had ridden through the entire night without rest, all the way from Nuoding City, just to save her.
He was unbearably handsome and unimaginably strong.
In fact—
Zhu Zhuqing thought that even in a dream, she wouldn't dare imagine such a perfect story. Yet reality had become this perfect.
In this moment, as she leaned into Su Yan's arms, she felt like the happiest woman in the world. Her chosen one was a peerless hero—she had already given her heart to him for this lifetime.
Su Yan also felt, the moment their bodies touched, that everything he had done was worth it. Forget riding through the night—what would charging into the armies of the Star Luo Empire count for?
Zhu Zhuqing's figure was absolutely worth it!
Zhu Zhuqing sensed Su Yan's hand moving. Her body trembled, and she lightly pushed him away. The shyness on her face blended with the morning glow—so beautiful it was almost unreal.
Seeing the blushing girl before him, Su Yan's own face warmed, and a faint smile formed on his lips. He reached out and gently squeezed the cat-ear ornament atop her head.
"Let's go."
"Mm."
Zhu Zhuqing replied softly and allowed Su Yan to take her hand as they began walking toward the direction of the Heaven Dou Empire.
After exiting the bamboo forest—
Su Yan found the horse he had ridden earlier. He mounted it and extended a hand downward.
Zhu Zhuqing took hold of his hand and climbed onto the horse, sitting behind him. She wrapped her arms around his waist.
In a quiet voice, she said:
"I want to go to Suotuo City… to explain things to him."
She wanted to face Dai Mubai first—to cut off that tie with her own words, so she could follow Su Yan freely, without the reputation of being someone else's fiancée.
"Alright."
Su Yan didn't ask further and replied:
"We'll head for the closest town first, change to a carriage, then go to Suotuo City."
Going to Suotuo City wasn't a bad idea anyway. Bringing Zhu Zhuqing along while going to see Dugu Yan for immortal herbs wasn't exactly safe.
The horse suddenly burst forward. The massive momentum instantly made Su Yan acutely aware of the two mountains pressing against his back.
He quickly spoke, worried Zhu Zhuqing might misunderstand:
"You know, I tend to say blunt truths… Last night was my first time riding a horse. No one taught me, and I never learned before."
"Mm."
Zhu Zhuqing responded softly and hugged him tighter, pressing her entire body against his back, closing her eyes as she absorbed the warmth he gave.
Su Yan froze for a moment—happiness really was too wonderful.
Dai Mubai, oh Dai Mubai!
You absolute piece of garbage.
[Seven Treasures Little Princess: Oh my goodness! I just woke up and things are already this explosive?!]
[Seven Treasures Little Princess: Why is no one talking? Is everyone still asleep?]
[Carrot Lover: That was a life-and-death situation! Kitty, how are you now? Hurry and report that you're safe!]
[I Am an Orphan: I hadn't even opened my eyes and saw a "life-and-death situation." Was it one against five, Kitty?]
[Group Member No. 9: Where's @Yan Zi is Not Swallow? Yan Zi is Not Swallow, where are you? Didn't you say you'd stay awake to the drama the whole night? Why did you end up sleeping?!]
[Bibi Dong: Liu Erlong, come out and face me, you blind fool!]
[Hu Liena: Liu Erlong, come out and tell us your story!]
Blue Tyrant Academy.
Liu Erlong hadn't woken yet, her eyes swollen and red.
Seeing Bibi Dong and Hu Liena calling her out in the chat group first thing in the morning made her furious.
Damn it.
Are you two calling for souls first thing in the morning?
But—
Liu Erlong hesitated several times, suppressing her urge to reply.
In her current condition, how could she show her face?
Wouldn't she be laughed to death?
[Cat in the Shadows: I'm safe now.]
[Seven Treasures Little Princess: Safe already? That's wonderful! But where's my Brother Su Yan? Why hasn't my Brother Su Yan come out to talk yet?]
[Carrot Lover: Kitty, you're safe… so did Su Yan… did he go back?]
Su Yan?
Reading the chat, Zhu Zhuqing tightened her embrace around Su Yan's waist from behind, clinging even harder, as if afraid her destined hero might suddenly vanish.
Zhu Zhuqing: Su Yan probably can't go back.
[Hu Liena: Little Princess, weren't you still swooning over that handsome passerby yesterday? And now you've found a new love already?]
Inside a hotel in Nuoding City—
While washing up, Ning Rongrong hummed happily to herself.
'You fools, Su Yan is Su Yan. The two Su Yans are actually the same person. Obviously, I like both of them!'
[Seven Treasures Little Princess: Hu Liena, you're so dumb! Can't I like both of them at the same time? Hehe! I like both, I love both.]
[Carrot Lover: Six.]
[Bibi Dong: I thought my gossip was about to be cut off—never expected an even juicier development! Little Princess, keep going! I support you!]
Uh…
Zhu Zhuqing was stunned beyond belief.
What a princess indeed.
She really had a massive appetite—she actually liked both?
[Cat in the Shadows: Then… good luck.]
[Yan Zi is Not Swallow: Oh no, oh no! I accidentally fell asleep and missed an entire pot of fresh melon!]
[Yan Zi is Not Swallow: Kitty, tell me what happened! What's the situation?!]
[Cat in the Shadows: It's fine. I'm already safe.]
[Yan Zi is Not Swallow: And the process?]
[I Am an Orphan: Yeah, did Su Yan help you?]
[Bibi Dong: Hurry up and confess your shameful little secrets. Don't make us use force to take them.]
[Seven Treasures Little Princess: Wait—why hasn't Brother Su Yan spoken yet? Did Brother Su Yan get hurt? Where are you right now?]
[Carrot Lover: What? Su Yan got injured? His martial soul… is it okay?]
Zhu Zhuqing froze—she had no idea how to answer.
Wait a second…
Why would the Little Princess ask whether Su Yan could get injured?
That didn't match Su Yan's mysterious and unfathomable persona in the chat group at all!
Does the Little Princess know Su Yan personally?
Impossible!
Just yesterday, she asked who Su Yan was—she didn't even recognize him when she saw him. Something was off.
And Carrot Lover too—what did she ask?
Su Yan's martial soul?
Could it be… that both Carrot Lover and the Little Princess know Su Yan in real life?
Were they disguising themselves the entire time?
[Su Yan: What?]
[Su Yan: I just crossed the long river of time and returned. Kitty escaped on her own. Seeing she wasn't in danger, I didn't show myself and went straight back.]
[Cat in the Shadows: No wonder I didn't see you.]
[Seven Treasures Little Princess: Heh.]
[Carrot Lover: Heh.]
[Everyone: ???]
Su Yan slowed the horse slightly and explained, "I study at Nuoding Academy in Nuoding City. Carrot Lover is Xiao Wu—she's my classmate."
"My other classmate is Tang San—the same Tang San I mentioned before. If nothing goes wrong, we'll probably meet them today."
Zhu Zhuqing blinked and asked doubtfully:
"I thought we were going to Suotuo City?"
Su Yan turned to glance at her and explained:
"We are. And Xiao Wu and Tang San will also be going to Suotuo City. So will the Seven Treasures Little Princess—she's Ning Rongrong, the daughter of Ning Fengzhi from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. All of them will be heading to Suotuo City."
"Suotuo City has Shrek Academy. That's where Dai Mubai studies. All of you end up going there. It has nothing to do with me—you would have gone to Shrek Academy regardless."
Zhu Zhuqing thought for a moment. "I think I understand what you mean. Even if you hadn't come for me, after escaping from the Star Luo Empire, I still would have gone to Shrek."
"Exactly."
Su Yan continued, "The same goes for Tang San, Xiao Wu, and Ning Rongrong. Even without knowing each other through the chat group, all of you would still end up at Shrek and meet there."
—
End of Chapter