The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's Rules

"Ning Rongrong, deep down, you really haven't changed a bit."

Gao Yang sighed as he watched the girl roll around on his bed without a care.

"That's right, I'm the Little Demoness!" She pulled the quilt over her head, leaving only her long legs exposed. "You're the one who coaxed and spoiled me since I was little, Gao Yang. It's your fault I'm like this, so you have to take responsibility! Responsibility!"

She remembered that whenever she had acted spoiled like this as a child, Gao Yang had always given in.

She didn't know whether it would still work, but she wanted to try.

"Of course..." Gao Yang smiled. "The one who's favored has nothing to fear. Is that why you're tormenting me—because you know I like you?"

"Rongrong isn't tormenting you!" Ning Rongrong's guilty conscience flared at his words. "Gao Yang, didn't you promise to take Rongrong around the continent once you became a Titled Douluo? Are you... are you going back on your word?"

But when she sat up from beneath the quilt and met Gao Yang's indifferent gaze, all her spoiled airs vanished.

Why...

Why was this happening...

She couldn't think at all. What could she do to make Gao Yang stay?

Ning Rongrong felt so wronged she wanted to cry.

Even though it might anger him, she couldn't help it...

"Why are you crying again...? What has Shrek Academy been teaching you...?"

Gao Yang reached out and gently wiped away her tears.

As his fingertips brushed her smooth, soft cheek, they both trembled.

Ning Rongrong had only meant to scare Gao Yang with a little fake crying. But when he finally showed her tenderness, all her pent-up hurt burst out.

Her pretend tears became real, pouring down like water through a broken dam.

Before long, her eyes were red.

"All right, don't cry. I'll do as you say. I won't leave the sect, and we'll make up."

"Hm? Gao Yang, what did you say?"

"I'm just an older brother you could take or leave anyway." Gao Yang gave a bitter smile. "As long as you're happy, nothing else matters to me."

"No! You're not someone I could take or leave!"

Ning Rongrong wasn't stupid. Of course she could hear that he was only trying to comfort her, and she began to fall apart...

"If you're willing, think of it as charity or pity from the young lady. When we're alone, can I still hold your hand like I did when we were little?"

Ning Rongrong froze...

When we're alone... like when we were little...

If it's just holding hands, I suppose that's all right...

Seeing her blush and nod shyly, Gao Yang opened his arms and pulled her soft body into his embrace.

Huh?

Weren't we going to hold hands...?

Ning Rongrong felt light-headed and took it as a celebration of their reconciliation.

After all, they had hugged plenty of times as children...

Overjoyed to have him back, she relaxed and wrapped her arms around Gao Yang's waist without thinking.

Stupid Gao Yang! Next time you want to hug Rongrong, at least put on a shirt!

Oh, forget it. I'm generous enough to forgive you this once!

Somewhere along the way, Gao Yang grew into a man...

She thought he smelled wonderful, like a jar of aged wine. Just a few breaths left her dizzy and unwilling to push him away...

[That night, you did nothing but hold each other until late. Only a cough from outside the door finally made you separate.]

[Blushing, the girl pushed you away, scrambled off the bed, and ran back to her room without even putting on her shoes.]

[Over the following week, your relationship with Ning Rongrong returned to what it had been before—perhaps it was even better.]

[Sometimes the girl wondered what exactly your relationship was now. You would take her hand as naturally as breathing, though she had never even held Oscar's. At night, as Ning Rongrong recalled the warmth of your palm, all she could do was tell herself you were siblings who happened to be especially close. But then she remembered that you had not only held hands but kissed, and she grew confused all over again...]

Poor Ning Rongrong. She had been played like a pawn in his palm...

Stepping out of the first-person perspective, Gao Yang couldn't help feeling sorry for her—for one second.

No wonder people said to beware of fire, electricity, and the male best friend. Fuck, this was way too easy!

Oscar, if you got angry, you were petty. If you didn't, just wait and see...

Gao Yang would call this move the fifth great open scheme!

But in the end, it only worked because Ning Rongrong was kind and innocent at heart.

He would have been doomed to fail if he had tried it on anyone else.

Of course, the victor was king and the loser a bandit. It was too late for talk now.

Once Ning Rongrong gave in the first time, one concession after another would follow.

Holding hands, kissing, and then...

Just thinking about it made Gao Yang eager to see what came next.

[At Xiao Tian's reminder, you crushed the diary Ning Rongrong had kept since childhood—the one you had treasured and read countless times—with your own hands. You were a cautious man; you could not leave behind trouble or evidence!]

[Another three months passed. During that time, you did nothing improper to Ning Rongrong. You only occasionally sat with her on the roof late at night, holding hands beneath a sky full of stars. Of course, you had those opportunities only because you kept assigning Oscar more and more tasks...]

[Oscar did not complain. On the contrary, he treasured every task. To him, the more he completed, the more recognition he would earn. So each time he finished one, Oscar came running to thank you before anyone else!]

Tsk, tsk. Wasn't this little fool second only to Tang San in brains in the original story?

Gao Yang shook his head and continued the Simulation.

[You successfully left Oscar and Ning Rongrong with few chances to spend time together. While giving Oscar a heavy workload, you accompanied Ning Rongrong as she cultivated her Soul Power. Gradually, the two of you seemed to return to your childhood closeness. Even she failed to notice how much more intimate your behavior was becoming.]

[One day, after you and Ning Rongrong returned from cultivating on the back mountain, you gave her a quick kiss on the cheek at her bedroom door. Her face turned crimson. She looked as though her soul had left her body, unsure how to feel about you. But you went no further. You merely told her to get some rest, then turned and left.]

[To your surprise, Ning Rongrong sought you out in private the next day and timidly apologized. She said it had just been so sudden last night, and she definitely had not been upset!]

Gao Yang: ???

What the fuck had he conditioned her into?

Was this even Ning Rongrong anymore?

Wasn't this out of character?

[Age 17: Two years had passed since Ning Rongrong competed in the Soul Master Tournament, and today she reached level fifty. Ning Fengzhi asked you to take her to the Star Dou Great Forest to obtain a Soul Ring. You were now level sixty-three. In talent, even the Golden Generation could not match you; as for combat ability, Sword Douluo had said that unless an opponent possessed a top-tier Martial Soul, even a Soul Saint would be no match for you. With that strength, Ning Fengzhi felt safe entrusting Ning Rongrong to you. But you sensed that this deeply calculating sect master had another purpose.]

[Hearing that only the two of you were going to the Star Dou Great Forest, Oscar came to you in private and asked to come along. With him there, he said, you would not have to eat dry rations in the wilderness. Your answer was...]

[1. Beat him up and tell him not to be a third wheel!]

[2. Give him more tasks so he has no time to come!]

[3. Explain the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's rules to him!]