Want to Make Amends? Too Late!

At the entrance to Shrek Academy, Gu Yi and Zhu Zhuqing walked slowly hand in hand.

Along the way, the two tacitly remained silent, merely admiring the scenery beside the road, their hearts seeming to intertwine.

"Aren't you... curious?"

Gu Yi broke the silence. He stopped and looked at Zhu Zhuqing curiously as he asked.

"I am curious, but I was also waiting for you to tell me." Zhu Zhuqing's expression remained calm as she smiled.

It would be a lie to say she was not curious. Gu Yi already occupied a significant place in her heart, yet she knew very little about him.

She was curious why Gu Yi had come to Shrek Academy. She was curious about his relationship and history with Ning Rongrong. She was curious how much of a place she now occupied in Gu Yi's heart.

Gu Yi was like a riddle she could not solve, but she believed that one day, he would tell her everything.

"Since you want to know, I'll tell you. But don't laugh at me." Gu Yi smiled as well. Looking at the elf-like beautiful girl before him, he felt nothing but happiness.

He began to explain—why he had come here, what had truly happened between him and Ning Rongrong, and everything he thought Zhu Zhuqing might be curious about.

Naturally, he concealed the matter of the system. At this point, it no longer seemed all that important. Telling her would only make Zhu Zhuqing worried and annoyed.

"So, you came out because you wanted to get away from Ning Rongrong?" After hearing Gu Yi's story, Zhu Zhuqing felt deeply moved. Their experiences were so similar.

One could not obtain the love he wanted, while the other had been betrayed by the love she received.

It had to be fate that brought these two pitiable lovers together.

"That was true before, but now I don't care about her at all. Zhuqing, you are the one in my heart now." Gu Yi gazed deeply into Zhu Zhuqing's eyes, his tone exceedingly sincere.

The two looked at each other, and their feelings heated up rapidly in that moment.

Smack!

Zhu Zhuqing quickly kissed Gu Yi on the cheek. With a playful smile, she said, "Since you're being so sincere, take this as your reward."

After saying that, her face flushed shyly. She released Gu Yi's right hand and, while he was still stunned, hurried toward the academy.

"Ding! Congratulations, host. Zhu Zhuqing's favorability has reached 80%. Reward: Soul Power cultivation increased by 500%."

The system notification snapped Gu Yi out of his daze. He gently touched the spot Zhu Zhuqing had kissed, a happy smile appearing on his face.

Looking at the shy Zhu Zhuqing ahead of him, he quickly chased after her and teased, "That doesn't count! You ambushed me just now. Do it again!"

"I didn't even feel it just now! Or how about you let me reward you once too?"

Hearing that, the blush on Zhu Zhuqing's face deepened. Her steps quickened as she let out a coy snort.

"Pervert!"

The next morning, everyone rose at Flender's call. Today was an important day. Gu Yi clearly remembered that Oscar reached Rank 30 today.

According to the original story, today should be the day they headed to the Star Dou Great Forest.

Gu Yi glanced at Oscar, who was still meditating beside him, and a smile curled across his lips.

Good thing I got yesterday's reward, or I wouldn't have made it in time, Gu Yi thought to himself.

He had also cultivated tirelessly through the entire night yesterday, and had finally raised his Soul Power to Rank 40.

Gu Yi had not forgotten the God-Given Soul Ring in his System Backpack. He planned to take advantage of the chance to help Oscar hunt a soul beast and pull the same trick Xiao Wu had.

With the Titan Giant Ape's help as an accomplished actor, he should be able to escape amid the chaos and absorb the God-Given Soul Ring.

After confirming the feasibility of his plan, he quickly got up, washed, and headed to the training ground where they were to gather.

The training ground was quiet at this moment. There was only one graceful figure in the entire plaza—it was Ning Rongrong!

Just like in the original story, she didn't leave?

Gu Yi sighed inwardly, somewhat disappointed.

Still, this was within his expectations, so he did not dwell on it. He quickly walked to one side beneath the platform, deliberately putting a great distance between himself and Ning Rongrong.

Glancing at the distance between them, Gu Yi thought with satisfaction, Mm, maintain a safe distance. I have to let Zhuqing see that I've truly drawn a line between myself and the past.

Ning Rongrong noticed this as well. Though she felt disappointed, it only strengthened her resolve.

After secretly glancing at Gu Yi, she gradually moved closer while pretending nothing was amiss.

What is she trying to do?

How could Ning Rongrong's little movements escape Gu Yi's notice? Catching the scene from the corner of his eye, he was utterly perplexed.

She had always avoided him like the plague. Last night, he had even said those things. He had thought she would be furious enough to want to kill him, so what was this supposed to mean?

As Ning Rongrong drew closer and closer, Gu Yi began to panic. A lingering sense of foreboding filled his heart.

Finally, just as Ning Rongrong was about to come up beside him, Gu Yi stopped her.

"Stop! What are you trying to do? Didn't we agree to keep our distance?" Gu Yi looked at her warily and asked in confusion.

Ning Rongrong paused. Blinking, she spoke haughtily, "I changed my mind. That condition is void!"

"He threatened me like that right in front of you. What else was I supposed to do?"

"Threatened?" Gu Yi froze, suddenly recalling what had happened the previous night.

It did seem like that had happened, but what did it have to do with him?

"Right now, you're the only person I know. Do you really want to watch me die right in front of you?" Ning Rongrong said, putting on a pitiful act.

Yet even with her acting like that, Gu Yi still looked at her with complete indifference.

"First, you weren't the only one who wanted to keep our distance before. I did too. So please stay away from me now."

"Second, whether it was last night's threat or whether you die in front of me later, neither has anything to do with me. I only saved you yesterday and before that because of Uncle Ning."

"If you hadn't gone looking for trouble yourself, none of this would have happened."

"I won't be your shield, and I'm no longer the thug you used to summon with a wave and dismiss whenever you pleased."

"So take care of yourself."

With that, Gu Yi walked straight around her and moved to where Ning Rongrong had been standing before, putting a considerable distance between them again.

Ning Rongrong stared at Gu Yi in disbelief, then glared at him and demanded, "Why?"

"I've already lowered myself and tried to make up with you. What more do you want?"

Hearing that, Gu Yi could only let out a cold laugh and said as if mocking himself, "There used to be an idiot kneeling before you, yet I never saw you treat him very well."

"That was because! Because..." Ning Rongrong flusteredly tried to explain herself, but she could not find a single excuse.

Gu Yi merely watched her coldly, waiting to see what kind of lie she could come up with.

But what reason could Ning Rongrong possibly have? She could not even remember the times she had humiliated Gu Yi. It was like crushing an ant—something she had never cared about.

"Because back then, you simply looked down on me. You thought I was nothing but a filthy, disgusting, annoying little pest who followed you around, didn't you?"

Seeing that she could not say it, Gu Yi answered for her. The original owner's miserable memories were still deeply etched in his mind.

If he forgave her just because she showed him a little goodwill, then what would all the suffering the original owner had endured amount to?

Now I've got the system in my left arm and Zhuqing in my right. A good life is getting closer and closer, and you still want me to go back to being at your beck and call?

Go play somewhere else!