Huohuo couldn't see Huoyao's inner thoughts or expressions, so he naturally had no idea that his future wife was growing increasingly distant from him.
Watching Huoyao and Han San walk together with an exceptionally beautiful girl—one whose looks and figure far surpassed his own—Huohuo couldn't help imagining how it might go if he approached her. Maybe he'd be able to win her heart.
With that thought in mind, Huohuo walked over, holding a gold coin out in front of his chest. He put on a humble smile and said, "You're new here, right? Would you be willing to stay in my room for a night?"
At his words, Zhu Zhuqing frowned slightly.
It was obvious that Huohuo was the young master of the Rose Hotel. He'd clearly come here to book her room, but who knew how many women he'd tried this on over the years?
Seeing how sure of himself Huohuo looked, the hotel attendant gagged and asked in disgust, "Who do you think you are?"
The attendant's words left Huohuo slightly embarrassed. He'd intended to ask her politely, but the woman's response only made him angrier. His eyes filled with irritation.
"Get out of here!"
The hotel attendant knew better than to argue. Seeing the displeasure on Huohuo's face, she didn't dare linger and hurried to the back to find the manager.
Zhu Zhuqing had been about to speak, but the attendant's sudden interruption derailed her train of thought.
[It looks like Huohuo hasn't revealed himself to Zhu Zhuqing yet. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been so brazen in front of the woman he's supposed to marry.]
[That's normal. Huohuo is still young, and he hasn't revealed himself to Zhu Zhuqing yet. She'll only learn who he is when Zhu Zhuqing uses her spirit power. Then she'll start hiding her own identity and work hard to cultivate at the Taolangke Family's academy, leaving Zhu Zhuqing waiting for her for a long time.]
[Now that I think about it, Tang San used to respectfully call him "Young Master Dai." After his strength surpassed Huohuo's, though, he started calling him Huohuo. With Tang San around, this guy probably wouldn't dare get angry.]
[Finding fault with Tang San is a good way to get beaten. Huohuo can only take his frustrations out on others, acting like a bully.]
[Because he's important to the Taolangke Family, no one's dared to do anything to him so far. Even Zhu Zhuqing hasn't had anything to say when he occasionally teaches him a lesson.]
After hearing the diary's latest revelation, Zhu Zhuqing felt a warm current rise in her heart. She glanced at Huoyao, who had remained silent.
Huoyao's face showed no expression as she looked at Huohuo.
"I think you should stay in her room with her. She was the one who came with me first."
Huohuo let out a disdainful snort and replied coldly, "And what if I don't?"
Before Huoyao could answer, Zhu Zhuqing couldn't hold back any longer.
"What do you mean, 'what if you don't'? You're shameless!"
Huohuo's gaze landed on Zhu Zhuqing. He sensed the hostility radiating from her, and it felt strangely familiar, as though it were connected to him somehow.
But after thinking it over, he couldn't identify any connection. He simply sneered.
"Good. It's been a long time since anyone's spoken to me with such a lack of respect. Since you're a spirit master, you must have some strength. You and your companions can fight me. If you win, I'll leave. If you lose, you'll have to perform a striptease for me."
He spoke with the arrogance of a tyrant.
So you're finally showing your true colors.
Huoyao silently flipped through the diary, a sarcastic smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
[This really suits my impression of Huohuo. He obviously can't handle pressure, yet he dumped his unmarried wife and ran away. He couldn't even stand his ground in the Star Luo Empire, so why'd he come all the way to Suotuo City to act tough?]
[He's like a tiger made of paper, all bluster and no bite. Now I finally understand what Huohuo is really like.]
Zhu Zhuqing completely agreed with Huoyao. In her heart, Huohuo was a coward who could only bully the weak.
He was even like that little dancing monkey performing for a crowd. In her mind, Huohuo was nothing but a trash heap with a tail.
Han San glanced at Huohuo, finding him unpleasant to look at. He'd only come along to avoid being caught up in trouble, but now that it involved Zhu Zhuqing, he couldn't just stand by.
"Let's go, little Wu. Since he won't give up the room, I'll find another hotel."
Just as he was about to turn and leave, he heard a voice he hadn't expected: Little Wu refused to let him go.
"Wait a moment. I want to see how this turns out."
Now that Huoyao had written in her diary about Huohuo viciously teaching him a lesson, Little Wu wanted to see if he was really all talk.
Besides, given Little Wu's personality, there was no way she'd pass up a chance to see a fight after she'd finally found one.
Han San guessed what she was thinking. His gaze shifted between Huoyao and Huohuo, and in the end, he could only helplessly pinch the bridge of his nose and let Little Wu do as she pleased.
Huohuo, on the other hand, smiled when he saw Little Wu. He knew she wanted to watch the excitement, but he didn't mind. He liked it when people gathered to watch.
After all, even when they were in the Star Luo Empire, Huohuo had always been the one who got pushed around. Now that he was in the small city of Suotuo, he naturally wanted to show off a little.
This was a good chance to fight Little Wu and Zhu Zhuqing and see how strong he was. Maybe the beautiful girl would throw herself into his arms afterward.
Even if he had to conceal his identity, it didn't change the fact that the beauties around him were irresistible.
As Huohuo was thinking about all this, he was about to add a few more insults. Before he could open his mouth, the hotel manager came hurrying over, his face filled with fear.
"Please, let's all calm down. Don't make a scene."
Having been slapped down once already, Huohuo was even less pleased. He glared at the manager and said, "Manager Wang, you're getting more and more useless."
Manager Wang wiped his sweat and smiled apologetically.
"Young Master Dai, please don't be angry. It's my staff's fault for not handling things properly. That young man only arrived yesterday. He doesn't know any better. I'll arrange a room for you right away."
As he spoke, he turned to Huoyao with an apologetic smile.
"I'm sorry, guests. That room was reserved by Young Master Dai. I'm afraid you'll have to find another hotel."
Hearing this, Zhu Zhuqing said coldly, "Since you've already arranged a room for me, why should I leave? If you want to make room for him, then he can find somewhere else!"
Really, out of the frying pan and into the fire.
Huohuo's behavior was just like Huoyao had written in her diary. He was only a little nobody in the Star Luo Empire, yet he acted like he ruled the place in this little city. A man like that didn't deserve to be her future husband.
Huoyao's temper was roused too. The thought of the man who would become her husband acting so shamelessly infuriated her.
"Even if you're looking for a room late, you've already offended me. Why should I give in so easily?"
Facing Huohuo's fearsome glare, Huoyao moved in front of Zhu Zhuqing and glared right back at him.
"Since we've already been given the room, let's see how capable you are."
Before you continue