"I just want to become stronger!"
Looking at Ye Qiu's retreating figure, Zhu Zhuqing lowered her head and whispered.
Hugging her knees, she stared at the endless stone platform before her, her thoughts drifting elsewhere.
'Sister! Maybe I can beat you now! And Dai Mubai... our ridiculous engagement...'
Thinking of the engagement, Ye Qiu's image suddenly flashed through her mind.
For the past half month, Ye Qiu had taken meticulous care of her, but she could clearly feel an invisible distance between them. Perhaps... this was something she had created herself!
Her mind replayed every action Ye Qiu took in healing her and saving her. The unexpected kiss didn't seem so unpleasant to her.
Burying her flushed face in her knees, 'What should I do?'
Lost in her own sorrow, she suddenly felt a warmth.
Ye Qiu had returned, standing beside her, and a blanket was now on her.
"Let's think about it tomorrow. It's best to rest now to avoid developing a chronic condition, otherwise I'll feel really guilty!"
"Thank you! But I still want to be fed! What are you doing?" She clenched her fists and kept pounding Ye Qiu's chest.
Suddenly, Ye Qiu lifted her up, his left arm around her shoulder, his right fist clenched and placed on the back of her knee. "Nothing. If you want to think about things, it's the same in bed. Lie down and think it over slowly. The most important thing is to heal your injury as soon as possible!"
After settling her in bed, Ye Qiu went to rest alone.
Watching his retreating figure, Zhu Zhuqing felt she already had her answer. It might be difficult, but she truly wanted to live for herself!
The night passed without incident!
...
In the following days, Ye Qiu sensed that Zhu Zhuqing beside him seemed to have changed slightly.
She always asked him to go and tease those spirit beasts, to ride wolves, snakes, and spiders together.
"Here, try my grilled fish!"
Beside a stream, two giant white wolves were drinking water. Zhu Zhuqing and Ye Qiu sat cross-legged on the bank, with a fire burning between them.
Zhu Zhuqing handed the grilled fish to Ye Qiu with a smile on her face.
"It tastes pretty good~ It's quite delicious!" Ye Qiu didn't have high expectations for her cooking, after all, she was a young lady from a large family. Unexpectedly, after taking a small bite, he found that the taste was really good!
"Don't think I don't know what you're thinking!" She glared at Ye Qiu, then took another skewered fish and started grilling it. "At home, I often cook for myself!"
Ye Qiu naturally understood her situation in the Zhu family. There was a big age gap between her and her sister, and she couldn't compete with her at all. Who would have thought that a young lady from a noble family would have to do some chores herself!
"Your Zhu family is really abnormal!" Ye Qiu first complained, then pointed with his index finger to add. "Oh, right, and the Star Luo royal family too!"
"Yeah, they really are twisted!" Zhu Zhuqing nodded in agreement, her mood starting to slump again. "After all, what family's brothers and sisters are destined to be mortal enemies from birth!"
Ye Qiu's words made the atmosphere cold, and the grilled fish in his hand became somewhat tasteless.
Zhu Zhuqing threw down the grilled fish in her hand, leaned in front of Ye Qiu, and knocked the grilled fish in his hand to the ground as well.
"You—" Ye Qiu was about to explode.
But her sleeve was already at Ye Qiu's mouth, carefully wiping the stains from the corner of his mouth.
"What are you doing?" Ye Qiu slapped her hand away and moved his buttocks back a little.
Her own face was also a little red, "What's wrong? Didn't you take care of me like this when I was bedridden?"
"You know you were bedridden, but I was perfectly fine!" Ye Qiu looked at her speechlessly.
"Okay, let's go! Let's go for another walk." She then took Ye Qiu's hand and walked towards the two wolves by the stream.
The two mounted the white wolf, side by side, and moved slowly along the stream.
"So, Ye Qiu, what exactly is the favor you want me to do?" Zhu Zhuqing turned her head to look at his profile.
"Well, I want you to protect someone for me!" Thinking of the rabbit, Ye Qiu still smiled.
Seeing this, Zhu Zhuqing had a bad feeling. "Who is it? Where is they?"
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"Her name is Xiao Wu, her martial soul is the Soft Bone Charming Rabbit. As for where she is? Well, you'll meet her when you go to Soto City."
"A girl?"
"Yes! Preferably someone who can protect you closely! Of course, this doesn't apply when you need to cultivate!" Ye Qiu nodded, then smoothly stated his request.
'Ye Qiu! I really have to thank you!' Zhu Zhuqing gritted her teeth. Giving her an external soul bone was actually asking her to protect a girl with whom he had an ambiguous relationship?
What about the decision she made? Had all her actions these past few days become a joke? Had she given him her body for nothing? Had she given away her first kiss for nothing?
Zhu Zhuqing smiled bitterly. The step she had finally taken had ended just like that. She patiently continued on her way.
"Huh? So why did you say I would definitely go to Soto City?"
"Because your Third Prince fiancé is there! Haven't you always wanted to beat your sister and brother-in-law? I think you'll still go find him later! Actually, this isn't changing your fate at all; you're still living in a fate predetermined by others."
Ye Qiu said to himself, completely unaware of Zhu Zhuqing's increasingly ugly expression.
"Enough! Ye Qiu!" she roared, "What right do you have to interfere with other people's fates! Do you think you understand me? You understand nothing at all!"
Her roar stunned Ye Qiu. 'Did I say something wrong?'
She stared at Ye Qiu with red eyes. Already unhappy because of the girl named Xiao Wu, she heard Ye Qiu deny all her efforts and even thought he would still go to find Dai Mubai. She finally couldn't hold back anymore!
"Ye Qiu! You're a bastard!"
While Ye Qiu was still dumbfounded, she cursed again, then squeezed her legs together, and the wolf beneath her leaped away.
"Hey! You haven't agreed yet! Don't stray too far from me! It'll be bad if the soul beast goes out of control!" Without time to think, Ye Qiu called out twice and quickly followed.
...
On a wide expanse of grass, Zhu Zhuqing stopped.
"Hey! What happened to you just now? I apologize if I said anything wrong."
Ye Qiu approached from behind her. "Zhuqing?"
Zhu Zhuqing ignored him, staring fixedly at the distant sky, motionless. Ye Qiu had no choice but to stay with her.
After a long while, she finally spoke, "You're right, and you're wrong!"
Turning back to look at him, she laughed self-deprecatingly. "I was indeed very foolish. My efforts to become stronger and compete with my sister are what others hope for, but it's the only way I can survive! Isn't that right?"
"Actually, you have other choices!"
"Oh? Then tell me!" Zhu Zhuqing sat down, patted the seat next to her, and gestured for Ye Qiu to sit down as well.
"You could choose to join a few major powers, like the Spirit Hall! They've always been eyeing the two great empires. As a direct descendant of the Zhu family, if you're willing to join, they'd definitely be happy to accept you and use you as a benchmark to continue recruiting other noble members. After all, there are always losers in the power struggles within the nobility!"
Zhu Zhuqing looked at him with interest. "Anything else?"
"There's the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School! As long as your talent is sufficient, I think they'd still be very willing to accept you, since the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School is facing a talent shortage."
Ye Qiu finished speaking and looked at her quietly.
"Heh. What about my parents? And aren't you overestimating my importance? My innate soul power is only level seven."
Zhu Zhuqing didn't expect Ye Qiu to be so naive. The Star Luo Royal Family wasn't the Heaven Dou Royal Family; they had their own Title Douluo!
Ye Qiu also fell silent. It was indeed a bit of a misunderstanding on his part.
"I'm sorry. I didn't think things through."
Zhu Zhuqing shook her head. "It's alright! Thank you~" The last three words were barely audible, even Ye Qiu didn't hear them.
Looking at the rosy clouds rising on the distant horizon, she chuckled.
"Hehe." A self-deprecating laugh escaped her lips. When had Zhu Zhuqing become so easily given up?
Turning to look at Ye Qiu, who stood beside her with a bewildered expression, she gave him a bright smile. Regardless of his confusion, she mounted her white wolf and rode off again.
"Hey! What's wrong with you now!" Ye Qiu was practically exasperated. How could this girl be so fickle? He quickly mounted his mount and chased after her!
Zhu Zhuqing thoroughly enjoyed the cool evening breeze on her face. She felt relaxed; she had figured things out.
She wanted to thank Ye Qiu for appearing in her life, for giving her a new choice, a new direction to strive for, a choice that truly freed her from this fate—a choice she was willing to give her life for!