Don't Go... Stay and Sleep with Me

Dai Mubai, sitting across from them, watched the whole scene with his eyes wide open. His fingers clenched around his knife and fork until they turned white, jealousy souring him as if he had swallowed a whole jar of vinegar.

And yet, they were senior and junior disciples from the same sect. He could not even find an excuse to vent, so he could only lower his head and drink.

Ning Rongrong enjoyed this dinner immensely.

It was rare for her to spend an entire day alone with Ning Ze, and she had even "declared her claim" in front of outsiders. Overjoyed, she unconsciously drank several extra cups of the fairly strong fruit brew.

Before long, her delicate little face had turned completely red. Her gaze drifted, and she leaned limply against Ning Ze's shoulder, obviously drunk.

"Ning Ze... my head feels so dizzy..."

Ning Ze shook his head helplessly and wrapped an arm around her swaying waist. He gave everyone at the table an apologetic smile.

"My apologies, everyone. My junior sister cannot hold her liquor and has had a little too much to drink. I'll take her back to her room to rest first. Please enjoy yourselves; this meal is on us. I'll be back shortly."

"No problem, no problem. Go on, Brother Ning Ze!" Dai Mubai waved him off, though his words still carried a sour note.

Tang San and Xiao Wu nodded as well.

Half supporting and half carrying Ning Rongrong, Ning Ze brought her back to the top-floor suite.

The moment he placed her on the soft bed, the bleary-eyed girl suddenly threw out both arms and hooked them tightly around his neck, clinging to him like an octopus.

"Ning Ze... you're not allowed to leave... stay and sleep with me..."

She buried her burning face against his chest and rubbed against him, mumbling indistinctly through a thick nasal voice.

"You're mine... no one is allowed to take you away... if you dare look at some other wild woman... I'll tie you up with ropes... and lock you in the room forever..."

Ning Ze could not help laughing as he reached out and flicked the tip of her nose.

"Alright, alright. I'm all yours. No one can take me away. Be good and go to sleep."

He took off her little leather shoes, pulled over a thin blanket to cover her, and softly coaxed her for a few more moments.

With a gentle stroke of the soothing Soul Power from his Cupid martial soul, Ning Rongrong smacked her lips and fell into a deep sleep.

A little while later, Ning Ze returned to the rooftop.

The atmosphere was much more subdued than before.

Seeing that Ning Rongrong had left, Dai Mubai lost interest in staying as well. He stood and dusted off his clothes.

"Brother Ning Ze, Brother Tang San, I have some personal matters to deal with tonight, so I need to head back to the academy first."

"Tomorrow is registration day for Shrek Academy. I'll be waiting there for you all!"

With that, he cupped his hands in farewell and hurried away.

Only Ning Ze, Tang San, and Xiao Wu remained at the banquet.

After enjoying the night breeze for a while, Tang San set down his chopsticks and rubbed his brow.

"Xiao Wu, it's getting late. We've been traveling all day, so let's head back to our rooms and rest. We still need to get up early tomorrow to register at the academy."

"Ah? We're going to sleep this early?"

Xiao Wu had been eating a little dessert. At his words, her rabbit ears drooped, and her large eyes filled with reluctance.

She was bursting with energy and loved excitement most of all. Having finally entered a bustling city, how could she be willing to return to her room so early?

Ning Ze noticed this and smiled as he made a suggestion.

"When I went upstairs just now, I saw that Suotuo City's night market was quite lively. If Miss Xiao Wu isn't sleepy yet, why don't we take a stroll downstairs together? I heard there are plenty of fun trinkets and local snacks at the night market."

"Really?!"

At the words "night market," "fun," and "delicious food," Xiao Wu's drooping rabbit ears instantly perked straight up. Her eyes shone as she sprang directly out of her chair.

"That's wonderful! Ning Ze, you understand me so well! I want to go, I want to go!"

Seeing how excited Xiao Wu was, Tang San, who had originally planned to return to his room to cultivate, felt his head ache.

But he was truly worried about letting her go out alone at night with a stranger she had only just met. In the end, he could only sigh helplessly and follow with a wry smile.

"Alright, alright. Then I'll come along for a walk too."

Half an hour later, at Suotuo City's night market street.

The street was brightly lit on both sides, with vendors' cries and laughter blending together. Handicrafts and street snacks filled the stalls.

"Wow! Ning Ze, look at this! This glowing glazed rabbit is so cute!"

"And this! It's a carrot-shaped sugar painting!"

Xiao Wu happily darted through the crowd, tugging on Ning Ze's sleeve as she looked around. She danced with excitement, her clear laughter trailing all along the way.

Whenever she came across a novel stall, she would stop and look for a long time.

Tang San, following behind them, touched the purse that was cleaner than his face and felt rather embarrassed.

He came from Holy Soul Village and had saved a little money through Notting Academy's work-study stipend and blacksmithing at the forge. Usually, after buying forging materials, he had barely anything left. Though these little ornaments were not expensive, he could not spare the money for them and could only watch helplessly.

Ning Ze had no such concerns.

"Boss, I'll take that glazed rabbit."

"And that carrot sugar painting—give me three of the most exquisite ones."

"And that pair of pink crystal rabbit-ear hairpins. Wrap them all up!"

As long as Xiao Wu looked at something twice, he could not even be bothered to ask the price. He simply paid with gold coins from the Seven Treasure Trading House and smilingly placed each gift into Xiao Wu's arms.

"If you like it, take it. When you're out having fun, being happy is what matters most."

Holding an armful of little gifts and eating the sweet sugar painting, Xiao Wu's face was flushed red. The admiration and fondness in her eyes as she looked at Ning Ze were almost impossible to hide.

Ning Ze isn't just handsome, he's also so gentle and generous... Oh my, how can there be such a perfect person?!

Xiao Wu enjoyed herself to the fullest that night. Only when the night market was about to close did the three return to the Rose Hotel, still wanting more.

There was no one in the hotel corridor, and the night was quiet.

Standing before her own room, Xiao Wu hugged the glazed rabbit and paused somewhat reluctantly.

She tilted her head up slightly, her watery eyes blinking as she gazed at the white-clothed youth. Her cheeks were faintly flushed as she nervously and expectantly asked for confirmation.

"Ning Ze... tomorrow, will you really come with us to register at Shrek Academy and become our classmate?"

Ning Ze smiled and raised a hand to ruffle the top of her head.

"Of course. See you at Shrek Academy tomorrow morning."

The warmth on top of her head made Xiao Wu's heart feel sweet. She happily bounced in place, her rabbit ears swaying along with her as she sweetly waved at him.

"Then see you tomorrow, Ning Ze! Good night!"

With that, she darted into her room like a wisp of smoke and slammed the door shut with a bang.

In the corridor, Ning Ze withdrew his gaze and felt his martial soul tremble slightly from Xiao Wu's surging favorability.

The corner of his lips curled upward.

Looks like... the nourishment needed for my second soul ring's evolution has been found as well.

After watching Xiao Wu return to her room, Ning Ze softened his footsteps and made his way down the corridor to Ning Rongrong's door.

Still somewhat worried, he gently turned the handle and pushed the door open a crack.

Moonlight streamed through the window lattice onto the bed. The drunk little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was tightly hugging a velvet pillow in her arms.

Her long, straight, tender legs had kicked most of the thin blanket away, and there was none of a young lady's elegance in her sleeping posture.

Ning Ze walked over helplessly and tucked the blanket around her, only to suddenly hear the little witch mumbling indistinctly in her sleep.

"Mmm... Ning Ze... you're mine..."

"You're not allowed to look at... other wild women... whoever dares steal you from me... I'll... bite her to death..."

Hearing her adorably fierce sleep-talking, Ning Ze could not help laughing and shaking his head.

This girl had spent the entire day clinging to him as they wandered around and ate. She was obviously overjoyed; even in her dreams, she was busy declaring her claim.

Only after confirming that she was fine did Ning Ze quietly close the door and turn to return to his own room.