Entering the City, First Meeting with the Main Cast

Ning Rongrong's interruption snapped Zhu Zhuqing out of her daze.

Watching the scene before her unfold like a wife catching her husband cheating, even someone as cold and proud as Zhu Zhuqing could not help feeling awkward.

She steadied her breathing, wiped every trace of blush from her face, and once again put on her icy, unapproachable expression.

She gave Ning Ze a slight bow, her tone polite yet distant:

"Thank you, Young Master Ning Ze, for saving my life. Since you have a companion with you, Zhuqing will not disturb you any longer. If there is nothing else, I shall take my leave first."

With that, Zhu Zhuqing gave Ning Ze a long, deep look, as though she wanted to etch his appearance into her heart. Then her figure flashed, transforming into a black shadow that swept toward the other end of the forest. In the blink of an eye, she vanished into the dense woods.

Ning Ze watched her retreating figure thoughtfully.

Before he could look twice more, a sharp pain suddenly struck the soft flesh at his waist.

"Hiss—" He sucked in a breath in pain.

Ning Rongrong puffed out her cheeks, both little hands tightly pinching the flesh at his waist. Her beautiful eyes glared at him darkly as she demanded in a sour tone:

"You're looking! You're still looking! She's already gone, and you're still looking! Did you see that her figure was better than mine and start getting dirty thoughts?!"

"Ning Ze, tell me honestly—were you thinking about her just now?! Were you planning to cheat on this young lady behind my back?!"

Faced with this barrage of deadly questions, Ning Ze's mouth twitched wildly. He raised both hands in surrender with a bitter smile.

"My dear young lady, I've been wronged! I was only helping someone in need. I couldn't exactly stand by and watch a living person get killed by assassins, could I? I swear, I absolutely had no other thoughts!"

"Hmph! Really?" Ning Rongrong narrowed her eyes suspiciously. Clearly, the lid had not yet been put back on her jar of jealousy.

Ning Ze knew that this was absolutely not the time to reason with a jealous, obsessive girl. He decisively deployed his ultimate distraction technique—food escape.

He rubbed his stomach and wailed pitifully:

"It's truer than pearls! Ah, Rongrong, I'm so hungry. We've been walking for most of the day, and my stomach has been growling forever."

"Let's hurry into the city. I heard Suotuo City has a place with especially delicious sauce-roasted suckling pig and a top-tier dessert shop. If we get there too late, we won't even get in line!"

"F-food?"

At the mention of food, Ning Rongrong, whose mind had been filled with catching a mistress, froze for a moment. She lowered her head and touched her own protesting little belly, and more than half her murderous aura dispersed.

She gave an arrogant huff, released the flesh she had been pinching, and lifted her chin.

"Consider yourself lucky! I'll let you off this time, but once we enter the city, you have to accompany me while I eat delicious food the whole time. And you have to spend two whole days having fun in the city with me!"

"Yes, yes, I'll follow all of the young lady's orders!" Ning Ze secretly wiped away a cold sweat.

The crisis was temporarily resolved. The two no longer lingered and quickened their pace along the main road.

Half a day later.

A towering city wall appeared at the end of their sight. Above the city gate were three grand, gilded characters—Suotuo City.

Suotuo City, the grain-producing stronghold of the Balak Kingdom.

The streets were lined with tightly packed shops, hawkers called out one after another, and pedestrians flowed constantly through the roads.

Ning Ze and Ning Rongrong feasted on the city's local delicacies. At last, the young lady's temper was suppressed by her full stomach, and she contentedly rubbed her round little belly.

"I'm so full, so full! Now that we've eaten and drunk our fill, it's time to find somewhere to stay."

Ning Rongrong hooked her arm through Ning Ze's, her large eyes scanning the street. When her gaze passed a conspicuous building not far away, her eyes lit up, and she pointed toward it.

"Ning Ze, look over there! That hotel is built like a blooming rose. It's all pink and pretty—so beautiful! Let's stay there!"

Following her finger, Ning Ze saw the uniquely shaped three-story building, entirely rose-red in color. Above its entrance hung several large words—Rose Hotel.

His eyelid twitched violently, and his heart skipped a beat.

Well, well. The famous couples' landmark of Douluo Continent. It seemed this iconic scene was impossible to avoid after all.

"What are you standing around for? Let's go, let's go!"

Seeing Ning Ze spacing out, Ning Rongrong did not give him any chance to object. She grabbed his sleeve and happily rushed toward the entrance.

The moment they stepped onto the hotel stairs, a heated argument and dull sounds of impact came from behind the revolving glass door.

"We clearly got this room first. Don't you understand the rule of first come, first served? This room belongs to us!"

"Heh, what a joke! Everyone in Suotuo City knows this Rose Hotel always keeps an exclusive suite for this young master! Who do you think you are? What right do you have to claim it is yours?"

"Since reason won't work, then let's settle this with our fists!"

"Bang! Boom—!"

Two piercing explosions of Soul Power rang out. The tables, chairs, and decorations in the lobby were blasted askew, while wood chips flew everywhere.

Ning Ze and Ning Rongrong entered the lobby and immediately saw two figures locked in combat.

One was broad and muscular, with golden hair draped over his shoulders. His rare double pupils carried a sinister air, and his domineering presence was impossible to conceal—Evil-Eyed White Tiger, Dai Mubai.

The youth fighting him wore plain clothing and had an ordinary appearance, yet his eyes were as deep as a still pool. His hands glowed with a jade-like light, and his footwork was strange and elusive—Tang San.

Ning Ze inwardly laughed as he watched the two trading punches and kicks in the lobby. He recognized them at once.

However, his gaze did not linger on the two men. It shifted instead toward the girl in the pink dress watching from the side.

The girl wore a rabbit-ear headband, and a glossy black scorpion braid hung down to her ankles. Her little face was full of eagerness to jump in, while her two straight, slender legs beneath her short skirt were especially eye-catching.

Xiao Wu...

Ning Ze's gaze flickered.

By now, the outcome of the fight had become clear.

Relying on the exquisite Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon and Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, Tang San had exchanged a fierce blow with the overwhelmingly powerful Dai Mubai. Both retreated several steps, and the violent gust of force shredded the red carpet in the center of the lobby to pieces.

On the surface, they appeared evenly matched, but Dai Mubai knew very well that his opponent's Soul Power was no weaker than his own. That bizarre close-combat technique made it even harder for him to gain any advantage.

"Excellent skills! To possess such strength at such a young age, you are qualified to stay here."

Dai Mubai shook his numb wrist. Some of the arrogance in his eyes faded, replaced by a measure of respect for a strong opponent.

"The last Red Ocean Suite in this hotel is yours."

With that, he turned to leave.

Just as everyone was happy and the original plot was about to conclude smoothly, a crisp, arrogant voice overflowing with young-lady haughtiness exploded through the lobby:

"Hey, manager! We want to book rooms! Two rooms... no, I want to reserve the entire hotel!"

Ning Rongrong strutted up to the counter while pulling Ning Ze along, her chin raised slightly.

The hotel manager, who had been trembling beneath the counter, wiped away a cold sweat and crawled out shakily. With a miserable expression, he cupped his hands in apology.

"Oh, esteemed guests, I'm terribly sorry!"

"All the rooms in this humble establishment have been booked today. The last Red Ocean Suite was just reserved by this Young Master Tang San. There truly isn't a single vacant room left..."

"What do you mean there are none left?"

Ning Rongrong's temper flared.

Back at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, she had always gotten whatever she wanted. Her two Titled Douluo grandfathers would have gladly plucked the stars from the sky for her to kick around. When had she ever suffered the grievance of being told there were no rooms?

Besides, she had been planning to "deepen their relationship" with Ning Ze tonight!