Guilt!

Su Yu said nothing. He took a deep breath, bent down, and steadily hoisted Ning Rongrong onto his back.

The girl's weight was light, and her breath brushed gently against the side of his neck, warm and ticklish.

"Ten laps is ten laps."

Su Yu's voice was a little hoarse, but he didn't hesitate in the slightest. He set off toward the track.

"Hold on tight."

Ning Rongrong hurriedly wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face against his back. Tears dripped onto the back of his neck.

"Older brother, I'm sorry. It's all Rongrong's fault..."

"It's fine." Su Yu's voice came from his chest. "Just consider it some extra physical training."

Xiao Wu watched from the side, clicking her tongue in amazement as she arched a brow at Zhu Qing.

"He's too good to Rongrong, isn't he?"

Zhu Qing gazed at their retreating figures and softly hummed in agreement. A complicated glint flickered through her eyes.

Su Yu's steps were as steady as a mountain, completely unlike someone who had just run twenty laps.

Flender's eyes widened. He glared at the people still watching and barked sternly:

"What are you looking at? Aren't you tired anymore? Get back!"

Dai Mubai shrank his neck and dragged Oscar toward the dormitory, muttering as he went:

"The Dean's really in a bad temper today..."

Oscar nodded like a pecking chick, not daring to hesitate for even a moment.

Tang San glanced toward Su Yu and Ning Rongrong, then at Flender's tense face. He pulled Xiao Wu around and left. Xiao Wu stuck out her tongue and didn't dare say another word.

Ma Hongjun smacked his lips and was just about to say something when Flender swept him with a murderous look. He immediately swallowed his words and followed behind Tang San with his head hanging.

For a while, the only thing left on the field was Flender's back as he stood there with his hands behind him.

Meanwhile, Su Yu began running with Ning Rongrong on his back. She lay against him, tears continuously sliding from the corners of her eyes.

"Rongrong, don't cry anymore. Older brother isn't tired!"

Ning Rongrong's tears flowed like beads from a broken string, trickling down Su Yu's neck. The warm sensation made his heart tighten.

She buried her face in the crook of his sweat-damp shoulder, her voice choked beyond recognition.

"It's all my fault... If only I could run..."

"Silly girl, what are you crying for?"

Su Yu freed one hand and gently patted the back of hers.

"Older brother promised to take care of you. What does this little punishment matter? Look, once we get moving, the wind makes it much cooler, doesn't it?"

He deliberately slowed down a little and spoke with a smile, trying to put her at ease.

But Ning Rongrong cried even harder. Her little hands gripped the lapel of his shirt tightly, and her tears mixed with his sweat, soaking the fabric through.

"But... your legs are shaking..."

She spoke in a tiny voice, as faint as a mosquito's buzz, yet it reached Su Yu's ears clearly.

Su Yu smiled and deliberately made his footsteps steadier. "That's a normal reaction after running for so long. It'll be fine in a while."

"If you keep crying, your tears will drip into Older brother's mouth. Then it'll turn into salty soup."

The remark made Ning Rongrong let out a sudden laugh. Tears still hung from her lashes, but she couldn't help sniffing.

"Older brother... you're awful..."

"That's more like it." Feeling the faint movement against his back, Su Yu relaxed a little.

"Just lie there obediently and don't move around. Once we're done, Older brother will take you to buy Candied Hawthorn, even sweeter than the kind from that shop outside the Star Dou Great Forest."

Ning Rongrong said nothing more. She only pressed her face more tightly against him. Her tears gradually stopped, though her shoulders still trembled faintly.

Su Yu accelerated with all his strength and, an hour later, finished the ten laps with Ning Rongrong on his back.

By the end, Su Yu had practically relied on sheer tenacity to cross the final line.

When he stopped, his chest heaved violently, as if a bellows were being worked inside it.

The clothes on his upper body were already drenched with sweat, clinging tightly to him and outlining his firm muscles as they rose and fell with his breathing.

He carefully lowered Ning Rongrong, but his legs felt as though they had been filled with lead.

The moment he released her, he staggered forward several steps uncontrollably and looked ready to collapse.

Just then, a figure darted forward like lightning and firmly caught his arm.

The touch was cool. Then a voice as clear and cold as jade striking jade rang beside his ear:

"Careful!"

Su Yu looked up and met a pair of tranquil, dark eyes.

Zhu Qing had appeared beside him at some point. She wasn't using much strength to support him, and her face showed no expression, but the tips of her ears had quietly turned red.

"Th... thank you."

Su Yu panted as he used her strength to steady himself. Sweat dripped along his jawline and landed on her clothes.

Ning Rongrong hurried forward, pulled out a handkerchief, and wiped his sweat. Her eyes were rimmed red.

"Older brother, are you all right?"

Su Yu looked at Ning Rongrong's worried face beside him and forced out a weak smile.

"I'm fine... Come on, let's go back!"

Seeing Ning Rongrong support him, Zhu Qing released his arm and took half a step back, speaking softly.

"You said it yourself. Don't rush to rest right after running. Walk around slowly."

"Mm, thank you, Zhu Qing!"

"No problem. I'll be going first!"

Zhu Qing turned to leave, but Ning Rongrong called out to her.

"Zhu Qing, could you help me? Come with me to take Older brother back to the dormitory!"

Zhu Qing stopped, but she didn't turn around immediately. Only the ends of her hair swayed gently in the wind.

After a moment, she turned her face slightly. The setting sun fell across her cool, delicate profile, making her expression impossible to see.

All they heard was her soft reply, clear as a stone falling onto the surface of water.

"...All right."

She walked back and naturally took up a position on Su Yu's other side, lifting his arm and placing it over her shoulder.

On the other side, Ning Rongrong raised Su Yu's other arm over her shoulder. The three of them slowly made their way toward the dormitory.

After sending Su Yu to his dormitory, Zhu Qing left, leaving Ning Rongrong alone to care for him.

Su Yu lay on the bed, watching the Little Princess bustle around for his sake. For a moment, he couldn't bear it.

He was only pretending. With his physical fitness, running these few laps was practically child's play.

Not to mention carrying Ning Rongrong—even carrying Zhu Qing in front of him wouldn't have been a problem.

But just now, his arm had accidentally brushed against Zhu Qing's chest, and he had been genuinely stunned!

Zhu Qing was truly developing ahead of her age. She was already big enough to charge into someone with two balls!

The best way to successfully sign in Zhu Qing was to become her lover.

In the original story, Zhu Qing and Dai Mubai eventually ended up together. One reason was the engagement between them.

Another reason was that Dai Mubai's Martial Soul Fusion Skill with her could help her change her fate.

The final reason was that the Shrek Seven Devils had paired off among themselves, and Dai Mubai was the person most suited to her.

In truth, what had really brought Zhu Qing and Dai Mubai together was their Martial Soul Fusion Skill.

After turning eighteen, the two of them would have to fight Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun.

The winner would inherit the throne, while the loser would have their Martial Soul crippled and spend the rest of their life as a prisoner.

That was the rule of the Star Luo Royal Family. Even though they were younger than Dai Weisi and Zhu Zhuyun, they still had to fight this battle!