Ning Rongrong lay on her side, her cheeks still flushed with a slight intoxication, her voice soft and sweet, with a hint of slyness.
Zhu Zhuqing was about to close her eyes when she heard this and her body stiffened, her ears instantly burning.
She did remember being a little out of control after getting drunk. In her hazy state, she only felt that Fu Qin's arm was strong and reliable, so she subconsciously grabbed his sleeve. She didn't expect that he would see her.
"I...I didn't."
Zhu Zhuqing turned her face away, her cool voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible panic.
"Still saying no!" Xiao Wu immediately leaned in and gently poked Zhu Zhuqing's waist with her finger.
"I saw it clearly. You were even muttering 'Brother Fu Qin, you're so strong!' Sister Zhu Qing, do you have feelings for Brother Fu Qin?"
"Mmm..." Zhu Zhuqing's waist was a sensitive spot. When Xiao Wu poked it, she couldn't help but let out a soft moan, curling up and turning her cheeks even redder.
"Don't talk nonsense... I just... I just thanked him for helping me today."
"Thank you?" Ning Rongrong raised an eyebrow, reached out and brushed away the stray hairs on Zhu Zhuqing's forehead, and smiled as she saw the fleeting shyness in her eyes.
"Sister Zhuqing, look how amazing Brother Fuqin is! He takes such good care of us and made such useful magical artifacts for us. If you like him, don't be shy to say so!"
Ning Rongrong was testing the waters when she said those words.
Knowing that she only regained her past life memories when Fu Qin deflowered her, she guessed that Zhu Zhuqing would also regain her past life memories after being deflowered.
Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu had discussed this matter, and after much deliberation, they still believed that Fu Qin was very reliable. Besides, both of them already had ambiguous relationships with Fu Qin.
They certainly wouldn't stand by and watch their best friend be ruined by bastards like Dai Mubai.
The sooner Zhu Qing regains her memory, the sooner they can feel at ease.
“That’s right!” Xiao Wu quickly chimed in.
"Brother Fu Qin is both gentle and strong, and he's been very good to me and Rongrong. He's definitely someone we can entrust our lives to."
The two talked back and forth, making Zhu Zhuqing's heart race, and her hands under the covers tightly gripped the hem of her clothes.
She had to admit that Fu Qin's appearance had indeed stirred something within her.
But she was naturally introverted and never good at expressing her feelings. When Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong so bluntly exposed her thoughts, she felt her cheeks burning and wished she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
"If you keep talking nonsense, I'm not going to talk to you anymore!"
Zhu Zhuqing turned around, feigning annoyance, with her back to the two of them, but her slightly trembling shoulders betrayed her nervousness.
Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu exchanged a glance, both seeing a smile in each other's eyes.
They didn't continue teasing her, but simply patted Zhu Zhuqing gently on the back.
"Okay, okay, I won't tease you anymore~" Ning Rongrong said softly.
"But Sister Zhuqing, if you like someone, you should go for it. Brother Fuqin is so outstanding, maybe someone else likes him too."
Xiao Wu nodded as well.
“We can all see that Fu Qin treats you differently. Last time you were injured, he was the first to rush up to protect you.”
Zhu Zhuqing didn't speak, but buried her face in the pillow, her lips involuntarily curving upwards slightly.
...
On the other side.
The outer edge of the Starry Sky Forest.
The shadows and eerie aura surrounding Oscar made his figure appear even more sinister.
The burning sensation from absorbing the 3,500-level Mirror Shadow Beast Soul Ring was still coursing through his body, but the crimson light that surrounded his entire body did not fade. Instead, it grew even stronger with the surging ferocity in his chest.
"Ha... Fu Qin!"
A low growl escaped from the corner of Oscar's mouth. He clenched his right hand tightly, and the blue crystal soul bone in his palm suddenly emitted a chilling aura, but it did nothing to cool the crimson in his eyes.
In his view, if it weren't for Fu Qin's secret scheme, how could he have been driven out of the position that rightfully belonged to him?
"You think that by forcing me out of Shrek Academy, I'll just languish like a stray dog?"
"I will live, with power greater than yours, and repay you a thousandfold for the pain you inflicted upon me!"
The Mirror Beast's spirit rings slowly rotated beneath his feet, bringing not only a surge in spirit power but also a powerful spirit skill that could simulate the opponent's abilities.
"Tang San, oh Tang San..." Oscar looked up, letting the rain soak his cheeks, a mixture of rainwater and tears streaming down his face.
"We were once brothers who fought side by side. I respected your extraordinary talent and admired your loyalty and righteousness, but why did you abandon me?!"
His voice suddenly rose, filled with boundless anger and resentment.
“You are the core of Shrek Academy, the disciple most valued by the master. If you had just stood up and said a word, perhaps I wouldn’t be in this situation! But you didn’t! You chose silence, chose to protect that so-called Fu Qin, and treated me as a pawn!”
......
The Soto City Arena was bustling with activity at dusk.
As Vlad and the Shrek crew stepped through the gate, they were met by another imposing group.
The young man at the head of the group was dressed in a red outfit. He was tall and straight, and his soul power fluctuations were powerful and majestic. He was clearly a level 69 Soul Emperor!
Behind him were seven team members dressed in blue and gold uniforms. They were composed and had the best soul ring ratio of two yellow and one purple. Their soul power hovered between level 35 and 39. They were the Royal Fighting Team who had clashed with Fu Qin just yesterday.
"Qin Ming?!"
When Flander saw the face of the young man in the lead, his eyes widened in disbelief.
He recognized that face all too well; it was the prized student who had left Shrek Academy back then, the gifted young man with the Fiery Wolf Martial Soul!
Qin Ming's reaction was even stronger than Flander's. He was stunned at first, then his eyes burst with intense excitement. He quickly stepped forward, his voice filled with barely suppressed excitement.
"Dean! You're Dean Flander?!"
"Besides me, who else could have raised such a brat like you!"
Flander realized what was happening, a relieved smile spreading across his face, and he reached out to pat Qin Ming on the shoulder.
"I didn't expect that after so many years, you'd already be a level 69 Soul Emperor! Not bad, not bad, you haven't disgraced Shrek Academy!"
"It's all thanks to the Dean's excellent teaching back then!" Qin Ming said respectfully, his eyes filled with admiration and gratitude.
“If it weren’t for your careful guidance back then, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I’ve always wanted to go back to Shrek to see you, but I’ve been too busy to make the trip.”
The two, having been separated for so long, had so much to say that they momentarily forgot about everyone around them.
Flanders inquired about Qin Ming's experiences over the years, and Qin Ming answered them one by one, his words filled with respect for his mentor.
The surrounding Soul Masters all turned to look.
While Flander and Qin Ming were catching up, the members of the Royal Fighting Team had already set their sights on Fu Qin from the Shrek Academy team.