"He didn't succeed though. That was when Brother Su Yu broke his hand!"
Dai Mubai stood frozen, wanting to step forward and stop Ning Rongrong, but with Su Yu nearby, he didn't dare make a move.
Ning Rongrong had exposed all his disgraceful behavior from that day, especially in front of his fiancée Zhu Zhuqing.
He glanced at Zhu Zhuqing and saw her face expressionless, but her eyes were as cold as ice. She took another step sideways, as if staying any closer to him was unbearable.
Su Yu cleared his throat lightly and tugged at Ning Rongrong's sleeve. "Alright, let's not bring up the past anymore."
Ning Rongrong stuck out her tongue, realizing she had gone too far, and didn't continue.
Zhu Zhuqing abruptly turned to leave. Dai Mubai panicked and quickly grabbed her wrist, his voice flustered:
"Zhuqing! Let me explain!"
Zhu Zhuqing struggled once but couldn't break free, so she stopped and turned around with a cold snort, crossing her arms. The disgust in her eyes was almost overflowing:
"What? You think your taste is better than Ma Hongjun's because you like playing with twins? Is that something to boast about?"
Dai Mubai was stunned by the question. He opened his mouth but found his throat blocked, unable to utter a word.
His shameful behavior that day was already his fault, and now that it was exposed, any excuse felt weak and meaningless.
"Zhuqing, I..."
Sweat beaded on his forehead from anxiety. His grip on her wrist unconsciously tightened, then he quickly loosened it, afraid of hurting her. His eyes were full of panic and helplessness.
"I was foolish back then, I... I've changed since, really!"
Zhu Zhuqing watched his flustered appearance without any softening in her gaze. She simply stared coldly at him, as if scrutinizing an untrustworthy stranger.
The warmth from his palm on her wrist felt particularly uncomfortable, making her want to shake him off immediately.
"Changed?" She scoffed lightly. "Do you think I'm that easy to fool?"
Seeing the doubt and disgust in her eyes, Dai Mubai felt a pang of hurt.
He knew his past actions had disappointed her, but he genuinely wanted to change, genuinely wanted to get closer to her.
"No, Zhuqing, you have to believe me..."
He wanted to say more, but Zhu Zhuqing suddenly shook off his hand with force.
"No need to explain." Zhu Zhuqing took a step back, creating distance, her tone resolute.
"I'm not interested in your 'taste' and don't want to hear about it. Your 'good taste' makes me sick!"
Zhu Zhuqing's voice was like ice, each word dripping with sharp sarcasm.
A prince, reduced to fleeing his homeland, yet indulging in pleasure in this small city without any ambition.
Why did such a person have to be her fiancé?
Seeing the undisguised contempt and scorn in her eyes, Dai Mubai's long-suppressed emotions finally erupted.
Ever since Zhu Zhuqing came to Shrek, he had tolerated her coldness because of his past mistakes, gritting his teeth through it all.
But now, that endurance had reached its breaking point.
"Zhu Zhuqing, stop right there!" he roared, his voice filled with suppressed rage.
Zhu Zhuqing didn't even turn her head, instead quickening her pace as if hearing another word from him would be torture.
"You..."
Dai Mubai trembled with rage, his uninjured hand abruptly rising as intense white light flickered in his palm, his Soul Power surging uncontrollably.
At that moment, Su Yu stepped forward and grasped his wrist, his tone clearly impatient:
"If you have something to say, say it properly. Why resort to violence against a fellow student?"
With Su Yu's grip, Dai Mubai's agitated Soul Power instantly stagnated, and his rationality gradually returned.
Meeting Su Yu's stern gaze, he took a deep breath and slowly lowered his hand, his voice slightly hoarse:
"Teacher Su, I know I was wrong."
The white light in his palm gradually dissipated, but the fury in his chest continued to churn.
Watching Zhu Zhuqing's figure gradually disappear into the night, Dai Mubai felt all the blood in his body rush to his head.
An indescribable restlessness and irritation clogged his chest, making it hard to breathe.
Su Yu paid him no further attention, turning with Ning Rongrong and Xue Na to merge into the street crowd, intending to find a decent restaurant in the city.
The two girls had only eaten boxed lunches at noon, so they naturally deserved a proper meal in the evening.
Xiao Wu pulled Tang San along as they slowly headed toward the academy, whispering about something along the way, the atmosphere relatively peaceful.
The surrounding crowd gradually dispersed, leaving Dai Mubai standing alone.
The anger in his heart burned like blocked flames, searing his entire being with pain.
He suddenly clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white.
Since things had already come to this today...
Uncontrollably, his mind flashed back to the figures of those twins from last time, his gaze gradually growing turbid.
He subconsciously licked his chapped lips, as if bewitched by some thought.
Turning, he staggered toward the more prosperous—and more chaotic—depths of Soto City.
After dinner in Soto City, Su Yu strolled casually with Ning Rongrong and Xue Na. Seeing how late it had gotten, they prepared to return to the academy.
In no hurry, Su Yu didn't use Flying Thunder God, so the three of them ambled along the path outside the city.
The evening breeze carried the fresh scent of grass and trees, dispelling the day's heat. Ning Rongrong and Xue Na walked in the middle, occasionally sharing soft laughter, the atmosphere particularly pleasant.
As they neared the academy gates, Ning Rongrong, sharp-eyed, suddenly pointed at a tall ancient tree not far away:
"Brother Su Yu, is there someone up in that tree?"
Su Yu and Xue Na followed her gaze and indeed saw a slender figure sitting among the branches.
Moonlight filtered through the leaves, outlining a familiar silhouette—it was Zhu Zhuqing.
Leaning against the trunk, her legs drawn up and chin resting on her knees, she stared vacantly toward the distant academy, lost in thought.
The evening breeze stirred her long hair, lending her a lonely aura quite different from her usual cold and sharp daytime demeanor.
"Why is Zhuqing sitting there?" Xue Na asked softly.
Su Yu halted, glanced at Zhu Zhuqing in the tree, and said to the two girls:
"Probably wants some time alone. Let's go ahead and not disturb her."
Ning Rongrong nodded without another word, though as they passed beneath the tree, she couldn't help looking up once more.
Zhu Zhuqing seemed to notice the movement, slightly turning her head. Her eyes met theirs, but she merely swept a faint glance over them before turning away again, silent.
The three didn't linger further and continued toward the academy. Once they'd walked some distance, Ning Rongrong murmured quietly:
"She seems a bit unhappy... Did I say something wrong just now?"
Su Yu patted Ning Rongrong's head. "Sometimes, keeping things from others is what truly hurts them!"