"So, I wanted to stand up for you, to teach Dai Mubai a lesson for you, because he hurt you, the girl I like," Bai Qinchen said, stressing every word. After speaking, he cupped Zhu Zhuqing's lovely face in both hands, bent down, and kissed her.
At that instant, Zhu Zhuqing froze, utterly stunned.
She had never imagined her first kiss would be gone just like that-not given to Dai Mubai, whom she had once believed she was destined for, but to Bai Qinchen, whom she had known for only a few days and met only a handful of times.
She did not resist Bai Qinchen's kiss. Instead, as though possessed, she actually took the initiative to extend her tongue, entwining it with his lips.
Only after a long while did Bai Qinchen reluctantly leave Zhu Zhuqing's red lips, his eyes filled with burning affection and infatuation as he gazed at her.
Faced with his blazing gaze, Zhu Zhuqing's heart gave a violent tremor. Flustered, she avoided his eyes, not daring to look at him again.
"Zhu Zhuqing, I'll take care of you for the rest of my life. I hope you'll consider me." After a moment, Bai Qinchen reined in his burning gaze and looked at her earnestly, voicing this heart-fluttering confession.
"I... give me some time to th-think, will you..." Zhu Zhuqing's voice was as faint as a mosquito's hum.
"I won't force you to agree right now. I know you need time to digest this," Bai Qinchen said with a soft laugh. "I'll give you time to think it over. There's no need to rush your answer. I look forward to hearing it."
Bai Qinchen was in no hurry to win Zhu Zhuqing over. After all, with anything, only a result reached after going through the process was truly exciting.
It was like playing soccer. If there were no defenders and no goalkeeper, a shot might go in, but it would not excite anyone.
Only when the other side defended desperately, and one broke through their defenses, then finally broke past the goalkeeper's defense and entered the penalty area, would it count as a spectacular, exhilarating, and thrilling match.
Besides, if he forcefully demanded an answer from Zhu Zhuqing now, it might backfire. After all, she had kept rejecting even Dai Mubai. How could she agree to him all at once?
Chapter 14: Giving Xiao Wu Medicine
Ever since Xiao Wu had told on them and Zhu Zhuqing had caught them cheating, the atmosphere among the Shrek Seven Devils had grown tense. Xiao Wu felt somewhat guilty because of it, and her spirits sank by the day.
"What's wrong? Why have you been so unhappy?" In the grove, Bai Qinchen could not help asking when he saw Xiao Wu's persistently gloomy expression.
"It's nothing!" Xiao Wu forced a smile.
"Tell me the truth. I don't want to see you with such a long face." Bai Qinchen gathered Xiao Wu into his arms and gently stroked her soft hair, his tone carrying a hint of dominance.
"What are you doing! Don't do this!" Xiao Wu struggled lightly, only for Bai Qinchen to hold her tighter.
"We agreed that we'd hug every day." Bai Qinchen gently nibbled her earlobe, coaxing her in a low, husky voice.
"But I never said you could bite my ear!" Xiao Wu chided with a blush, but she stopped struggling and nestled obediently in his arms.
"Tell me honestly, why have you been scrunching up that little face these past few days?" Bai Qinchen lightly kissed her tender neck, his voice warm and pleasant.
"I... that night, I told Zhu Zhuqing about what Boss Dai and the others were doing. They argued and broke with each other completely," Xiao Wu said dejectedly.
"What Boss Dai and the others did was wrong to begin with. You were right to tell Zhu Zhuqing. Why are you upset?" Bai Qinchen asked with a slight frown.
"We Shrek Seven Devils have always stuck together. We could defeat teams stronger than us, but now we've fallen apart." Xiao Wu sighed, sounding rather melancholy.
"There was no way to stop this. Even if it hadn't come out today, it would have tomorrow, or the day after. It was bound to come out someday." Bai Qinchen patted her back comfortingly.
"Then what about our relationship?" Xiao Wu raised her head and looked into his eyes, saying earnestly, "My brother will discover our relationship someday. How am I supposed to face him then?"
"So that's what you're worried about!" A wickedly alluring curve lifted the corner of Bai Qinchen's mouth.
"What I mean is, give up on me already! I won't be with you. I only want to be with my brother, safe and sound, without anything standing in our way!" Xiao Wu puffed out her cheeks and spoke with a thoroughly serious expression.
"Heh!" Bai Qinchen chuckled, then said, "That doesn't seem like something you should worry about. It's something Tang San needs to consider."
"If he truly loves you, he won't care about any of this. He'll choose to forgive you," Bai Qinchen said lightly. "So there's no need for you to worry about it."
What Bai Qinchen said was complete nonsense. In any case, he could never accept his woman betraying him, nor did he think his women would betray him. After all, he was strong enough to keep them thoroughly obedient.
But right now, he had to give Xiao Wu a pill of reassurance.
"If you're really scared, we can just keep it secret so he never finds out, right?" Bai Qinchen continued to hoodwink her.
"Who wants to keep sneaking around with you forever!" Xiao Wu glared at him in embarrassment and anger. "Have you hugged me enough? Can you let go now?"
"You're so soft. I could never hug you enough!" Bai Qinchen kept holding her, showing no intention of letting go.
"You!" Xiao Wu was furious, but there was nothing she could do.
"Anyway, why don't we go out for a stroll? Staying at the academy every day is pretty boring," Bai Qinchen suggested.
Xiao Wu's eyes lit up at his words, but she soon shook her head gently. "Forget it. It's too dangerous outside the academy."
This was Heaven Dou City. Who knew how many Titled Douluos were here? If one saw her and discovered her identity, they would certainly attack without hesitation, seeking to take her Soul Ring and Soul Bone.
"It's fine. Eat this, and it'll temporarily conceal your identity." Bai Qinchen took out a pill and held it before Xiao Wu.
[Concealment Pill: Conceals the user's presence, preventing detection. Effects last one day. Exchange cost: 20 points per pill]
Xiao Wu took the pill and sniffed it carefully, then stared suspiciously at Bai Qinchen. "This isn't some drug you're planning to use to take advantage of me, is it?"
"Am I that kind of person?" Bai Qinchen glared at her irritably.
"Aren't you? You've been scheming to take advantage of me all along!" Xiao Wu rolled her eyes and snapped back.
"If I weren't considering your feelings, I would've had you long ago. Why would I need a drug? What difference is there between drugging you and forcing you?" Bai Qinchen said darkly.
Xiao Wu pursed her lips in a smile. That really was true, so she swallowed the pill without further ceremony.
"Hehe, you finally swallowed it. Later, you'll be the one begging me. I won't be forcing you~" Bai Qinchen snickered wickedly.
"What?! It really is that kind of drug? You bastard!" Xiao Wu cried out, leaping out of his arms and glaring at him, her face flushed scarlet.
Then Xiao Wu moved to strike her stomach and vomit the pill back up.
"All right, all right, look how frightened you are. I was lying." Bai Qinchen reached out to stop her and explained with a grin, "It really is medicine that conceals your presence. Don't worry."
"You're awful!" Xiao Wu hammered his chest hard and scolded him.
"All right, let's go for a stroll." Bai Qinchen pinched her pretty little nose and spoke gently.
"Mm..." Xiao Wu nodded lightly. She really wanted to go out and play, too, but this was not Suotuo City. Who knew how many Titled Douluos were in this city? The slightest carelessness could expose her.
If Bai Qinchen's medicine really worked, she could play around the city without any worries.
As for why she believed the medicine would work, that was naturally because of Bai Qinchen's possessiveness toward her.
She did not believe that Bai Qinchen, who wanted to possess her so badly, would bring her into danger.
Rather than saying she trusted Bai Qinchen, it would be more accurate to say she trusted his desire to possess her.
Watching Xiao Wu's skipping figure from behind, Bai Qinchen's lips curved into a faint, doting smile.
Seeing her so lively and adorable stirred an urge in him to possess her completely, but reason told him he absolutely could not do that.
To let her remain this lively and adorable, he had to seep into Xiao Wu's life little by little, slowly work his way into her heart, and squeeze Tang San out of his place until only he remained.
Possessing her by force would only give him a beautiful, empty shell. What he wanted was Xiao Wu in her entirety.
Although he believed his abilities could make Xiao Wu fall in love with that feeling, and thus fall in love with him.
However, that process might take even longer than winning her over this way.
When it came to winning her over, gradual progress was naturally the safest approach, and he believed Xiao Wu would fall for him sooner or later.
And today's outing was his second step after hugging.
Chapter 15: Protecting Xiao Wu
"Look, look! This is so pretty!"
"And this one! Wow, it's so cute!"
"What do you think? Does it look good?"
Xiao Wu ran excitedly around Heaven Dou City, picking up one thing and touching another, like a child who had just arrived in the city, so happy that she could not stop smiling.
It had been a long time since she had gone shopping, and the places she had shopped in before were all small cities. This was Heaven Dou City, one of the three largest cities on the continent.
"If you like it, buy it!" Bai Qinchen affectionately ruffled Xiao Wu's smooth hair and said dotingly, "I'll pay."
Liu Erlong was his woman, and she ran an academy as large as the Blue Tyrant Advanced Soul Master Academy. Naturally, she had plenty of money, so buying these things was no problem.
"Hmph! I have my own money. I don't need you to buy anything!" Xiao Wu snorted softly and turned her head away haughtily.
She had earned quite a lot of money at the Soul Fighting Arena. Besides, she did not want to spend Bai Qinchen's money. Once she did, she would feel as though she owed him something.
Seeing this, Bai Qinchen shrugged helplessly, but did not mind.
"Hey, look at this. Try wearing it." Bai Qinchen spotted a cute hair clip, and his eyes immediately lit up as he handed it to Xiao Wu.
"No!" Xiao Wu pouted.
"Be good!" Bai Qinchen said sternly.
"I won't!" Xiao Wu firmly refused.
"If you won't wear it, don't blame me for getting handsy with you later~" Bai Qinchen said, his lips curling wickedly.
"Bai Qinchen, you damned pervert!" Xiao Wu's face turned crimson. She glared at him angrily, but obediently reached out to take the hair clip he offered.
In fact, she had already taken a fancy to the hair clip herself. Just as she was about to try it, Bai Qinchen had suggested it. She did not want him to think they shared the same taste, which was why she had refused to listen to him.
Once Xiao Wu put the hair clip on, Bai Qinchen immediately leaned closer to inspect it and said with a smile, "It suits you. Very pretty."
"Really?" Xiao Wu's gaze grew noticeably dreamy. Clearly, she agreed with that statement herself.
"So pretty I can barely stop myself from eating you up," Bai Qinchen murmured into her ear, his warm breath brushing her sensitive skin.
"Ah! You filthy pervert!" Overcome with embarrassment and anger, Xiao Wu raised her leg to kick Bai Qinchen in the crotch. However, with so little distance between them, Bai Qinchen reacted swiftly and dodged, slipping an arm around her slender waist in the same motion.
"All right, stop fooling around. Lots of people are watching!" Bai Qinchen said with a smile.
Xiao Wu looked around and found that the people nearby were indeed watching them. Immediately embarrassed and annoyed, she hurriedly hid in Bai Qinchen's arms.
"Shopkeeper, we'll take this hair clip." Keeping an arm around Xiao Wu's waist, Bai Qinchen tossed the shopkeeper a Gold Soul Coin.
"Thank you, sir. You two really are such a loving couple!" The shopkeeper smilingly put away the Gold Soul Coin and offered the compliment.
"Who's a loving couple with this guy! He's just a bastard!" Xiao Wu muttered in Bai Qinchen's arms, not daring to raise her head and contradict the shopkeeper.
"All right, it's about time. Stop being shy. We should head back," Bai Qinchen said with a smile.
"Mm," Xiao Wu answered in a muffled voice, still unwilling to leave his arms.
Seeing this, Bai Qinchen's lips curved into a faint smile, and he walked toward the academy with his arm around her slender waist.
The Blue Tyrant Advanced Soul Master Academy was in the forest outside Heaven Dou City. Few people came this far, and Xiao Wu gradually recovered from her shyness.
"Let go of me already!" Xiao Wu pushed at Bai Qinchen, protesting quietly.
"Dugu Bo, you've provoked me time and time again. Do you really think I wouldn't dare kill you?" Just as Bai Qinchen was about to release Xiao Wu, a woman's sharp rebuke rang out from the woods.
"I refuse to believe I can't beat you!" Another voice, a man's, immediately followed.
Hearing those two voices, Xiao Wu trembled and instead hugged Bai Qinchen's neck tightly.
"What's wrong?" Feeling her delicate body trembling slightly, Bai Qinchen could not help asking in confusion.
"Titled Douluos. Two Titled Douluos..." Xiao Wu said quietly, a trace of fear appearing on her face.
Titled Douluos? Two Titled Douluos? That man seemed to be Dugu Bo, the one who took Tang San away.
But who did that female voice belong to? She was a Titled Douluo, too?
A female Titled Douluo? Who could it be?
If I remember correctly, only three female Titled Douluos existed in the early part of Douluo Continent.
Bibi Dong, Bo Saixi, and Sea Witch.
They were female Titled Douluos who already existed, rather than people who advanced to Titled Douluo later in the book.
But Bo Saixi and Sea Witch were on Sea God Island. They couldn't appear here, much less fight Dugu Bo.
Bibi Dong was even less likely. I don't believe Dugu Bo would dare provoke Bibi Dong.
Then who could this female Titled Douluo be?
"Let's... let's hurry and leave." Xiao Wu's arms involuntarily tightened further as she pleaded.
Although she had taken the Concealment Pill Bai Qinchen gave her, the presence of Titled Douluos felt oppressive to her. In particular, the pressure from two Titled Douluos about to fight terrified her even more.
Bai Qinchen had wanted to go and see who that female Titled Douluo was, but seeing how frightened Xiao Wu was, he immediately frowned and said, "All right."
"Boom!" Yet just as Bai Qinchen was about to carry Xiao Wu away, a thunderous crash suddenly rang out.
The next instant, an immense shock wave of power surged toward Bai Qinchen and Xiao Wu. At the same time, tree after tree snapped, hurtling toward them along with the shock wave.
Before you continue