Sister Blossoms

Just as Zhou Chen was thinking about how to retaliate against the Star Luo Royal Family, Zhu Zhuqing beside him suddenly felt uneasy.

At that moment, Zhou Chen's expression kept changing, as if he were plotting something wicked.

"Zhou Chen, what's wrong? Is it inconvenient for you to take me to Shrek Academy?"

Zhu Zhuqing frowned slightly and asked.

"Huh? It's convenient!"

Zhou Chen, who had been lost in wild thoughts, instantly came back to his senses and hurriedly said, "Don't worry, I'll arrange everything. You just need to set off with me tomorrow."

"You're going too?"

Zhu Zhuqing immediately stopped walking, her guard rising sharply.

"Of course. I'm twelve this year. Is there anything wrong with me going to school?" Zhou Chen replied righteously.

"This... there's nothing wrong with that."

Zhu Zhuqing's not particularly clever mind had already been thoroughly muddled by Zhou Chen.

Seeing that he had managed to bluff his way through, Zhou Chen let out a sigh of relief.

Originally, he had not planned to go to Shrek Academy, because he still had many important matters to handle.

Being tied down in a tiny academy for a long time did not serve his interests at all.

That was also why he had not set out together with Tang San and Xiao Wu.

But plans could not keep up with changes.

For him now, pursuing Zhu Zhuqing was a major matter—a matter that was both immensely beneficial to himself and capable of dealing his opponent a severe blow.

Besides, a fair lady was the pursuit of every gentleman. That, too, was one of life's great matters!

Having made up his mind, Zhou Chen smiled and casually made up an excuse. "Zhuqing, since Tang San and Xiao Wu live rather far from us, the two of us should set off first. We'll arrange a meeting place with them, then continue the journey together."

"Oh."

Hearing this explanation, Zhu Zhuqing reluctantly relaxed, though she still felt that something was not quite right.

Shaking her head, Zhu Zhuqing stopped thinking about it. Instead, she carefully glanced at Zhou Chen and asked in a low voice, "By the way, Zhou Chen, where did you lock up my second sister? And you... you didn't do anything bad to her, did you?"

At those words, Zhou Chen froze for a moment, then immediately put on an expression that was three parts astonishment and seven parts grievance. "She's locked in the Purple Micro Hall's rear palace, where she's being treated to good food and drink. How could an upright gentleman like me possibly do anything to her? Zhuqing, you're insulting my character!"

"I-I'm sorry."

Hearing Zhou Chen's answer, so full of righteousness, Zhu Zhuqing immediately lowered her head in shame.

Yesterday, when Zhou Chen captured Zhu Zhuyun, Zhu Zhuqing had not objected because of how deeply she hated her sister. At the time, she had even wished for Zhu Zhuyun to die.

But after waking up today and calming down, she regretted it. After all, no matter what, Zhu Zhuyun was still her biological elder sister. The bond of blood was not something that could be severed.

That was why Zhu Zhuqing had come looking for Zhou Chen early that morning. On the surface, she was there to thank him for saving her life, but in truth, she mainly wanted news of her sister.

Seeing Zhu Zhuqing's hesitant expression, Zhou Chen instantly guessed what she was thinking. So he took the initiative and said, "Zhuqing, how about I take you to see your sister?"

"Okay!"

Zhu Zhuqing immediately raised her head and agreed.

"Then come with me."

As he spoke, Zhou Chen left no room for argument as he took Zhu Zhuqing's soft, delicate hand and led her into the Purple Micro Hall.

The Purple Micro Hall was divided into three sections: the front hall, the central hall, and the rear palace. The place where Zhu Zhuyun was being held was in the rear palace.

Holding Zhu Zhuqing's hand, Zhou Chen passed through the front courtyard and central hall in succession, soon arriving at a small hidden chamber in the rear palace.

Two Tian Shu Guards above Level 30 stood watch outside the hidden chamber. The moment they saw Zhou Chen, they immediately understood, nodded, and opened the door.

"Creak—"

The door slowly opened. Zhu Zhuqing looked inside, then instantly froze in shock.

Because her sister, Zhu Zhuyun, did not look like a prisoner in the slightest. She was sitting alone at a table, happily eating a self-heating hot pot.

Zhu Zhuqing had eaten this kind of hot pot last night as well, when Zhou Chen had treated her to a meal. It had tasted wonderful.

"Oh, Zhuqing, you're here? I thought you never wanted to see your sister again."

Zhu Zhuyun picked up a slice of boiled lamb and placed it between her exquisite red lips.

Seeing that her second sister was safe and sound, Zhu Zhuqing felt relieved, but she also became faintly displeased!

She had made a mistake, so why was she receiving such good treatment?

And her sister was not even wearing shackles on her hands or feet. Was Zhou Chen not afraid that she would run away?

Seeing her younger sister's angry little expression, Zhu Zhuyun put down her chopsticks and said with an amused smile, "Little sister, all my Soul Power has been taken away by your sweetheart. Can't I at least have a hot pot meal?"

"What nonsense are you saying? He's not my sweethe—"

Zhu Zhuqing's little face instantly turned bright red, and her voice gradually weakened.

But the next second, as if recalling something, she suddenly asked, "You said... your Soul Power is gone?"

"Yes. Your little sweetheart made me take a pill, and then my Soul Power was gone. Even if I wanted to escape, I couldn't."

Zhu Zhuyun's tone gradually grew indignant.

In truth, after being forced to take the pill last night and losing her Soul Power, she had been utterly devastated. Only after eating hotpot today had her mood improved somewhat.

"Zhou Chen, you crippled my sister?"

Zhu Zhuqing's gaze instantly turned toward Zhou Chen, her heart secretly trembling.

After all, crippling a Soul Master's Soul Power was equivalent to destroying their future. It was even worse than killing them!

Zhu Zhuqing felt somewhat distressed over what had happened to her sister, but she had no real reason to blame Zhou Chen. After all, Zhou Chen had saved her life.

With her strong moral compass, she could still distinguish right from wrong.

Seeing that the two sisters seemed to have misunderstood, Zhou Chen had no intention of taking the blame and immediately explained, "I didn't cripple her. The Soul Dissipation Pill I gave her only lasts for three months. After three months, her Soul Power will gradually recover."

Upon hearing this, both sisters sighed in relief.

Zhu Zhuyun especially felt an overwhelming surge of joy when she learned that her Soul Power could be restored. She even felt a trace of gratitude toward Zhou Chen, her enemy.

If she had been educated, she would definitely have known that this was a textbook case of Stockholm syndrome.

Casting Zhou Chen a seductive glance, Zhu Zhuyun suddenly said, "Little sister, I think you should just choose Zhou Chen. What's so good about Dai Mubai? According to my investigation, he's fooling around at Shrek Academy right now. He's slept with at least eighty women, if not a hundred. Can you really tolerate that?"

"Is that true?"

Zhu Zhuqing's expression instantly went blank, and her heart sank to rock bottom.

Meanwhile, Zhou Chen silently gave Zhu Zhuyun ten thousand praises. With that stab added in, his chances of stealing Dai Mubai's girl had instantly doubled!

For that one sentence alone, he would have to treat this future sister-in-law a little better.

Hearing her sister's doubt, Zhu Zhuyun smiled bitterly. "Of course it's true. I'm already a prisoner. Is there any need for me to lie to you?"

"Then I have to go see just how rotten he really is, so I can finally give up."

Zhu Zhuqing's voice was low, tears swirling in her eyes.

Wiping away her tears, she looked at Zhu Zhuyun and said coldly, "Enjoy your hotpot. I wish you happiness for the rest of your life."

With that, she took the initiative to pull Zhou Chen out, casually shutting the door behind them.

"I thought you'd beg me to let her go," Zhou Chen said outside the door, somewhat astonished.

Hearing that, Zhu Zhuqing shot Zhou Chen a cold glance. "Do you think I'm stupid? Let her go so she can keep trying to kill me?"

After a brief pause, Zhu Zhuqing changed the subject. "Come with me to Shrek Academy. Tomorrow!"