Several minutes later, color returned to Zhu Zhuqing's face. As she felt the Soul Power gathering anew within her, a trace of gratitude rose in her heart.
"Thank you, Xu Nuo."
"It's nothing, just a small favor. All right, rest a little longer. I'll be going."
With his goodwill conveyed, Jiang Lin had no reason to linger. In a flash, he vanished from Zhu Zhuqing's sight.
Seeing Jiang Lin leave without the slightest hesitation, Zhu Zhuqing could not help feeling a little defeated. She considered herself quite beautiful, yet his behavior suggested that her looks held no appeal for him whatsoever.
After taking a few more steps, Zhu Zhuqing suddenly felt that something was wrong. The load on her back was far too light—not even a tenth of its original weight.
Then she quickly recalled what Jiang Lin had done earlier.
"Did he forget to give them back? Or—"
Zhu Zhuqing blinked. For some reason, that tiny seed of affection for Jiang Lin in her heart began to flourish.
Half an hour passed. With a little over ten li left before reaching Shrek Academy, Jiang Lin spotted Ning Rongrong again.
Her position had not changed at all, which meant she had not moved a single step since Jiang Lin left.
At the sight, Jiang Lin's brows furrowed slightly, but he concealed it almost instantly, a smile returning to his face.
"Ning Rongrong, what are you doing here? Are you already on your last lap?"
"Xu Nuo? You're on your way back again?"
Ning Rongrong had already grown numb to Jiang Lin's speed, but the latter half of his question made her pretty face flush slightly. Then, as though something had occurred to her, she simply played along.
"That's right. How did you know? This is my last lap. Once I