Ma Hongjun VS Dai Mubai! Shrek's Internal Strife!

Just as Zhu Zhuqing was about to speak and reject him in the most succinct terms.

Several figures suddenly sprang out from the nearby bushes.

They were Tang San, Oscar, Ning Rongrong, and Ma Hongjun.

"Say yes! Say yes!"

Oscar was the first to jump out and egg them on, waggling his eyebrows.

Ning Rongrong clapped along as well, calling out with a grin.

"Sister Zhuqing, Boss Dai is truly sincere this time!"

Ma Hongjun shouted even louder.

"Get together!"

"Get together!"

"Get together!!"

The surrounding cheers were like heavy hammers smashing into Zhu Zhuqing's heart.

Her already frosty, beautiful face grew several shades colder in an instant.

So they had been the ones skulking in the bushes.

So this had not been a private conversation.

This was a performance... one prepared for an audience.

She looked at Dai Mubai, who stood before her holding flowers with a hopeful expression.

Then she looked at those "companions" around them, who were delighted to watch the drama unfold.

A surge of rage shot from the depths of her heart straight to her head.

Seeing that Zhu Zhuqing remained silent for so long, Dai Mubai's smile stiffened somewhat.

He held the flowers out toward her again.

"Zhuqing?"

Zhu Zhuqing finally moved.

She suddenly raised her hand and viciously slapped the vibrant bouquet of roses.

"Smack!"

The bouquet was sent flying by the tremendous force, tracing an arc through the air before crashing heavily onto the ground.

Petals scattered across the ground, stained by dust.

The cheering abruptly stopped.

Everyone was stunned.

Tang San frowned. He felt that things did not seem to be going as he had expected.

Dai Mubai stood frozen in place, the color draining visibly from his face.

"Zhu Zhuqing, you..."

Zhu Zhuqing's gaze was like two sharp blades of ice, stabbing directly at Dai Mubai.

"If you truly liked me, even a little."

Her voice was not loud, yet every person present heard it clearly.

"Had you ever considered things from my perspective, even for a moment?"

"Did you think that by doing this in front of everyone, I would agree because I was too embarrassed to refuse?"

"Or did you deliberately want to humiliate me this way, just to satisfy your ridiculous desire to conquer?"

Every word was like a slap viciously striking Dai Mubai across the face.

After saying that, Zhu Zhuqing did not spare him another glance.

She turned and left without looking back.

The scene fell deathly silent.

Dai Mubai stood there blankly, looking at the ruined flowers on the ground, then in the direction Zhu Zhuqing had gone. It felt as though every bit of strength had been drained from his body.

Dejected.

He had failed again.

And this time, he had failed more thoroughly and humiliatingly than ever before.

Tang San sighed, walked over, and patted his shoulder.

"Mubai, don't overthink it. Zhuqing might have just..."

"Stop talking."

Dai Mubai's voice was hoarse. He pushed Tang San's hand away, then turned and left in a daze.

Right now, he only wanted to find somewhere to be alone and calm down.

He wandered aimlessly, eventually making his way to the academy's back mountain without realizing it.

There, he ran headfirst into someone who was equally downcast and dejected.

It was Ma Hongjun.

The fatty had just been fawning over a female support-system Soul Master outside, only to be punched back by her "soul power amplification."

The two stared at each other, both taken aback.

Seeing Ma Hongjun's miserable state, Dai Mubai somehow found a bit of balance in his heart and curled his lips into a mocking smile.

"What, Fatty? Rejected again?"

"Can't you pick a different target instead of always chasing girls who don't even look at you?"

Ma Hongjun was already full of anger. At Dai Mubai's words, his temper immediately flared.

"What the hell are you laughing at?!"

The fatty craned his neck and shot back.

"So I got rejected. What about you? Didn't you fail to win over your Zhu Zhuqing too?!"

"The pot calling the kettle black. How dare you lecture me?"

The mockery on Dai Mubai's face instantly froze.

Just as he was about to explode, Ma Hongjun added in an eerie tone.

"And I'm not afraid to tell you this."

Ma Hongjun looked at Dai Mubai, a strange glint flashing through his small eyes.

"You'll never be able to win Zhu Zhuqing over in this lifetime."

"What did you say?"

Dai Mubai forced the words out through gritted teeth, every syllable carrying a chilling edge.

He stared at Ma Hongjun, rage nearly bursting from his evil eyes.

"I suggest you take back what you just said."

Ma Hongjun was startled by his appearance and instinctively took half a step back.

But remembering that he had just been rejected as well, with the evil fire in his heart having nowhere to vent, he immediately puffed out his chest again.

Even if he lost, he could not lose face.

"Take it back? Why should I?"

"I'm telling the truth!"

The fatty stretched his neck, looking as if he was prepared to go all out.

"Boss Dai, I think you should just save yourself the trouble."

"Zhu Zhuqing already has someone in her heart!"

Those words were like a bolt of thunder exploding beside Dai Mubai's ears.

He froze completely.

"You... you're talking nonsense!"

Seeing Dai Mubai so distraught, Ma Hongjun somehow felt a little better. His mouth became even more unrestrained.

"Me, talking nonsense?"

"Heh, I'm not afraid to tell you. I heard this with my own ears!"

He lowered his voice, his face carrying a mysterious yet gloating expression.

"Once, I passed by Rongrong's dormitory and happened to overhear her talking with Zhuqing."

"Zhuqing said it herself—she has someone she likes!"

Dai Mubai's heart suddenly sank.

He wanted to refute it, to say it was impossible, but Ma Hongjun's certain expression made doubt begin to creep into his heart.

Seeing Dai Mubai's changing expression, Ma Hongjun decided to add more fuel to the fire.

"You think that's all?"

"Rongrong even said that when Zhuqing slept at night, she called out that person's name in her dreams!"

The fatty stepped closer, gossip gleaming in his small eyes as he asked word by word.

"Boss Dai, tell me, aren't you jealous?"

"Jealous?"

Those three words completely ignited the last line of defense in Dai Mubai's heart.

"Dead Fatty, you're courting death!"

Dai Mubai roared, his eyes instantly turning blood-red.

"Zhu Zhuqing can't possibly be like that!"

"You're slandering her!"

Before his words had even faded, his first Spirit Ring suddenly lit up. White Tiger Body Barrier activated at once, and he charged fiercely at Ma Hongjun like a cannonball leaving its barrel.

Ma Hongjun had not expected Dai Mubai to attack without warning.

"Damn! You're for real?"

"You think I'm afraid of you?!"

Flames surged over the fatty's body. His first Spirit Ring activated Phoenix Fireline, sending a blazing line of fire straight at Dai Mubai's face.

"Bang!"

Dai Mubai shattered the fireline with a punch, and the two instantly began brawling.

Fists struck flesh as soul power churned wildly.