I Like Them Both, I Love Them Both

The moment she touched her beautiful dream, the bubbles of the dream did not burst.

Zhu Zhuqing felt warmth, tenderness, and a happiness she had never known before. So none of this was a dream.

It was real!

After being abandoned by Dai Mubai, Zhu Zhuqing had lived in utter despair within the cage that was the Star Luo Empire, because her life no longer held any color.

Every day, she prayed that she could escape. She did not want to become a breeding tool. She longed for freedom.

And today, the True Love who only existed in her dreams had come to save her. Though he had not arrived atop seven-colored auspicious clouds, he had ridden through the night, tirelessly rushing from Nuoding City.

He was incomparably handsome and powerful.

Even...

Zhu Zhuqing felt that even if she were dreaming, she would not have dared imagine such a perfect story. Yet reality could truly be this perfect!

At that moment, nestled in Su Yan's arms, she felt like the happiest woman in the world. The man she loved was a peerless hero, and she had set her heart on him for the rest of her life.

The instant Su Yan touched her, he too felt that everything had been worth it. Forget riding hard through the night—even charging into the vast armies of the Star Luo Empire would have been worth it.

Zhu Zhuqing's eyes really were huge!

Worth it.

Noticing Su Yan's hands moving, Zhu Zhuqing's body trembled slightly. She gently pushed him away, the shyness on her face as red as the morning glow, breathtakingly beautiful.

Seeing the shy girl before him blush, Su Yan smiled as well and reached out to pinch the cat-ear accessory on her head.

"Let's go!"

"Mm."

Zhu Zhuqing answered softly, allowing Su Yan to take her hand and lead her toward the Heaven Dou Empire.

Once they left the bamboo forest.

Su Yan found the horse he had ridden there, jumped onto its back, and held out a hand to Zhu Zhuqing below.

Zhu Zhuqing took Su Yan's hand and climbed up after him. Sitting behind him, she wrapped an arm around his waist.

Zhu Zhuqing said softly:

"I want to go to Suotuo City and make things clear with him."

Zhu Zhuqing wanted to go to Suotuo City first and personally cut ties with Dai Mubai. She wanted to follow Su Yan as a free woman, without the label of someone else's fiancée.

"Mm."

Su Yan did not ask further. He said:

"We'll go to the nearest town, get a carriage, then head for Suotuo City."

Going to Suotuo City first was fine. It would not be safe to bring Zhu Zhuqing along while he went to get Immortal Herbs from Dugu Yan.

"Hyah!"

The steed suddenly bolted forward, and the immense inertia instantly made Su Yan feel the pressure of two great mountains behind him.

Worried Zhu Zhuqing would misunderstand and think he was doing it on purpose, Su Yan awkwardly explained:

"You know, I like telling little truths. Last night was my first time riding a horse. No one taught me, and I'd never learned before."

"Mm."

Zhu Zhuqing replied softly. From behind, she hugged Su Yan tightly with both arms, pressing her whole body against his back as she closed her eyes and savored the warmth he brought her.

Su Yan froze for a moment. Happiness had come so wonderfully fast.

Dai Mubai, Dai Mubai!

You really were a fucking piece of trash.

[Seven Treasures Little Princess: Oh my god! I wake up and it's already this explosive?]

[Seven Treasures Little Princess: No one has even spoken yet. Is everyone still asleep?]

[Loves Eating Carrots: It's a life-or-death situation! Cat, how are you now? Hurry up and let us know you're safe.]

[I Am an Orphan: Before I even opened my eyes, I saw it was a life-or-death situation. Was it one against five, Cat?]

[Group Member Number Nine: Yanzi, where's Yanzi? Didn't you say you'd stay up all night to watch the drama? How did you end up going to sleep?]

[Bibi Dong: Liu Erlong, come out and face me, you blind idiot!]

[Hu Liena: Liu Erlong, hurry up and come tell us your story.]

Blue Tyrant Academy.

Liu Erlong had not woken up yet, and her eyes were bloodshot.

Seeing Bibi Dong and Hu Liena calling her out in the Group Chat, she was furious enough to die.

Damn it.

Were those two summoning ghosts this early in the morning?

But...

After hesitating several times, Liu Erlong resisted the urge to send a message to the Group Chat.

In her current state, how could she possibly show her face?

Wouldn't everyone laugh themselves to death at her?

[Cat in the Shadow: I'm safe now.]

[Seven Treasures Little Princess: You're safe? That's wonderful! Where is my Brother Su Yan? Why hasn't my Brother Su Yan come out to speak?]

[Loves Eating Carrots: Cat, you're safe, so did Su Yan go... go back?]

Su Yan?

Seeing the messages in the Group Chat, Zhu Zhuqing tightened her arms around him on horseback, afraid that her True Love might suddenly disappear.

Zhu Zhuqing: Su Yan may not be able to go back.

[Hu Liena: Little Princess, didn't you still like that handsome stranger yesterday? Are you changing your affections today?]

Inside a hotel in Nuoding City.

As Ning Rongrong washed up, her heart brimmed with delight.

You idiots, Su Yan is Su Yan. The two Su Yans are the same person. Of course I like them both!

[Seven Treasures Little Princess: Hu Liena, you're so stupid! Can't I like both of them at the same time? Hehe! I like them both, I love them both.]

[Loves Eating Carrots: six.]

[Bibi Dong: I thought I wouldn't get to see my drama, but it turned out to be even more explosive. Go, Little Princess! I support you!]

Uh.

Zhu Zhuqing was completely numb now.

What a Little Princess.

You really did have quite the appetite, liking both of them?

[Cat in the Shadow: Then do your best!]

[Yanzi is not Swallow: Oh no, oh no, I accidentally fell asleep and missed the biggest scoop.]

[Yanzi is not Swallow: Cat, hurry up and tell me what happened. How are things now?]

[Cat in the Shadow: It's fine. I'm safe now.]

[Yanzi is not Swallow: What about the process?]

[I Am an Orphan: Yeah, did Su Yan go help you?]

[Bibi Dong: Hurry up and hand over the shameful secret between you two. Don't make us take it by force.]

[Seven Treasures Little Princess: That's not right. Why hasn't Brother Su Yan come out to speak? Did Brother Su Yan get hurt? Where are you two now?]

[Loves Eating Carrots: What? Su Yan got hurt? Is his... his Martial Soul okay?]

Zhu Zhuqing did not even know how to answer their questions.

Something was not right.

Why would the Little Princess ask whether Su Yan had been injured?

That did not fit Su Yan's unfathomable persona in the Group Chat at all!

Did the Little Princess know Su Yan?

Impossible!

Yesterday, this Little Princess had still asked Su Yan about him in the Group Chat. She did not even recognize Su Yan when she saw him. That was very strange.

And what had Loves Eating Carrots asked again?

Su Yan's Martial Soul?

Could Loves Eating Carrots and the Little Princess both know Su Yan?

Were they both putting on an act in the Group Chat?

[Su Yan: What?]

[Su Yan: I just crossed the River of Time and returned. Cat escaped on her own. I saw that she wasn't in danger, so I didn't show myself and came straight back.]

[Cat in the Shadow: No wonder I didn't see you.]

[Seven Treasures Little Princess: Hehe.]

[Loves Eating Carrots: Hehe.]

[Everyone: ???]

Su Yan slowed down a little and said, "I've always studied at Nuoding Academy in Nuoding City. Loves Eating Carrots is called Xiao Wu, and she's my classmate."

"I also have another classmate named Tang San—the Tang San I mentioned in the Group Chat before. If nothing unexpected happens, we may meet them today."

Zhu Zhuqing asked in confusion:

"Aren't we going to Suotuo City?"

Su Yan turned to glance at Zhu Zhuqing and explained:

"We're going to Suotuo City, and Xiao Wu and Tang San are going there too. So is the Seven Treasures Little Princess. She is Ning Rongrong, the daughter of Ning Fengzhi, the Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. They will all be going to Suotuo City."

"There is a Shrek Academy in Suotuo City, the same academy Dai Mubai attends. All of you will go there. It has nothing to do with me; you would have gone to Shrek Academy anyway."

Zhu Zhuqing thought for a moment after hearing this. "I think I understand what you mean. If you had not come for me, even if I escaped from the Star Luo Empire, I would still have gone to Shrek."

"Right!"

Su Yan continued, "Tang San, Xiao Wu, and Ning Rongrong too. Even if they had not met through the Chat Group, they would still have gone to Shrek and met there."