(A beautiful picture of Ning Rongrong)
Xiao Jue cleared his throat and announced loudly, "This carriage only seats four. Naturally, the seats are reserved for the three ladies."
Ning Rongrong jumped up in excitement. "Yay! No more running!"
She hopped into the carriage and plopped down beside Xiao Jue.
Xiao Jue leaned close to her ear and whispered, "It's such a long way. We can't have our Rongrong's little feet getting tired."
His warm breath brushed her ear, and it instantly turned bright red.
The tension between them was practically stretching into threads. It was all Xiao Jue's fault-he'd made her heart flutter again!
Xiao Jue lifted the curtain and called outside, "Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, come on up!"
Zhao Wuji watched the scene, the corner of his mouth twitching. "This..."
He couldn't really say anything. After all, running the entire way to the Star Dou Great Forest would take too much out of them.
Flender claimed it was training, but who didn't know he was just too stingy to rent a carriage?
Tang San gazed longingly at the carriage and said pitifully, "Xiao Jue, let me ride in the carriage for a while too."
He wanted to cry but had no tears. I really want to ride in the carriage! If I run that much farther, my butt will be ruined!
Ma Hongjun called out too. "I want to ride in the carriage too!"
Not to be outdone, Oscar said, "I want a ride too!"
Xiao Wu rolled her eyes and said crossly, "Have some shame. Xiao Jue offered the seats to us."
With that, she climbed into the carriage and waved to Zhu Zhuqing. "Zhu Zhuqing, come on!"
Zhu Zhuqing nodded, and Xiao Wu pulled her aboard.
Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing sat by the windows on opposite sides of the carriage.
Zhao Wuji waved his large hand. "All right, let's get moving. Mubai, take the lead!"
The driver cracked his whip, and the carriage rumbled into motion.
Oscar, Tang San, and Ma Hongjun watched the carriage travel farther and farther away, all three reluctant to run.
Dai Mubai stamped his feet in anger. "Can't you three show a little backbone? Keep up!"
With that, he took off running.
Dai Mubai, Oscar, Ma Hongjun, and Tang San ran after the carriage.
After they had traveled for quite some time, Ning Rongrong poked her head out the window and looked back-
Good grief!
The four were running like dogs, utterly bedraggled.
Dai Mubai was doing all right. He was a Soul Elder, after all, and ran at the front.
Oscar followed close behind, but he was panting with exhaustion too.
Tang San's face was pale, and his expression looked as though he were constipated. Running for so long had made his hemorrhoids hurt even more, and every step was torture.
Ma Hongjun's fat body brought up the rear. Like a panting fat pig, he ran with his tongue hanging out, gasping for breath.
Ning Rongrong called out cheerfully, "Hurry up and keep up! Fatty at the back, run faster!"
Ma Hongjun wanted to cry but had no tears. He even felt like dying.
Ning Rongrong pulled her head back in, rocking with laughter. "Hahaha, those four look like they're about to keel over!"
Xiao Wu poked her head out for a look too, then pulled back in and covered her mouth to stifle a laugh.
When Oscar saw Xiao Wu stick her head out, he hurriedly called, "Xiao Wu, let's switch! Let me sit for a while!"
Xiao Wu poked her head out again and stuck her tongue out at him. "Nya nya nya, no way!"
With that, she pulled the curtain shut with a swish.
Oscar's legs were going weak from running, and he called out between gasps, "I really can't run anymore. Boss Dai, can you carry me on your back?"
Dai Mubai was exhausted himself and only keeping going through sheer effort. When he heard that, he snapped, "Get lost!"
If everyone were running, it wouldn't have been so bad. When they all got tired, they could take a break together.
But the four of them had a carriage to ride in and were traveling ahead, leaving the four of them to struggle to keep up.
Oscar turned to Tang San, who was following behind him, and said pitifully, "Tang San, you're a good person. Could you carry me on your back?"
Tang San said, "I..."
Just then, Ning Rongrong heard them talking and poked her head out the window again, calling cheerfully:
"Never abandon, never give up! Tang San isn't the kind of person who'd abandon a teammate!"
Beside her, Xiao Jue chuckled and whispered, "Rongrong, that's moral blackmail."
Ning Rongrong pulled her head back in and stuck out her tongue. "Hehe."
Xiao Jue reached out and brushed the tip of her nose. "You really are a little demoness."
Ning Rongrong gave a delicate huff. "Hmph~"
Outside the carriage.
Oscar seized on her words like a drowning man clutching at a straw and hurriedly called, "That's right, Tang San. Sorry for the trouble, then. You wouldn't abandon a teammate, would you?"
Caught by the moral blackmail and unable to get off the tiger he was riding, Tang San could only steel himself and say, "Of course I wouldn't!"
Oscar's eyes lit up. "Then thank you!"
As he spoke, Oscar jumped straight at Tang San and wrapped both arms around his neck.
Caught off guard, Tang San was forced to catch Oscar in a princess carry.
Perfectly content in Tang San's arms, Oscar said cheerfully, "Thank you, Little San. Love you."
Then he even puckered his lips and leaned toward Tang San's face.
Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun stared, dumbstruck.
Tang San turned his face away in disgust, nearly throwing up.
Oscar's weight made it even harder for him to run. With every step, a sharp pain shot through the hemorrhoids in his butt.
It was simply worse than death.
Oscar's system panel appeared before him with a ding:
[Ding! Obtained 3 shock points!]
Inside the carriage.
Seeing how close Xiao Jue and Ning Rongrong were, both Zhu Zhuqing and Xiao Wu had somewhat strange looks in their eyes.
Xiao Wu leaned curiously toward Ning Rongrong and asked with a suggestive waggle of her eyebrows:
"Rongrong, Xiao Jue, are you two dating?"
Ning Rongrong's face turned red in an instant, and she hurriedly waved her hands. "N-no, we're not!!!"
Zhu Zhuqing suddenly realized that this was the perfect chance to raise her favorability.
Besides, they weren't dating yet, so she still had a chance!
If she dated Xiao Jue, wouldn't her favorability rise even faster?
Because if they were dating, they could do lots of other things that would raise favorability even more...
Like holding hands, hugging, and... kissing... and...
The more Zhu Zhuqing thought about it, the redder her face became, her heart pounding like a drum.
Xiao Wu looked at Zhu Zhuqing in puzzlement. "Zhu Zhuqing, I can understand Rongrong blushing, but why are you blushing?"
Zhu Zhuqing hurriedly waved her hands. "I, I... it's nothing..."
She took a deep breath, summoned her courage, and said, "Um, Xiao Jue, you must be tired. Let me give you a massage."
Without waiting for Xiao Jue to agree, Zhu Zhuqing began massaging his left arm and shoulder.
She placed Xiao Jue's hand against her chest.
Xiao Jue felt Zhu Zhuqing's warm, soft skin. The sensation was simply heavenly.
Zhu Zhuqing's system panel chimed nonstop-
[Favorability +2] [Favorability +2] [Favorability +2] [Current favorability: 16%!] [Reward item obtained: "Blue Cat's Three Thousand Questions: Answer Shield Glasses"] [Effect: When worn, automatically generates an answer shield upon being attacked-the enemy must answer a series of questions correctly to dispel the shield!]
Zhu Zhuqing was overjoyed. There's such a magical item!
Ning Rongrong, sitting to Xiao Jue's right, saw how diligently Zhu Zhuqing was massaging him, and alarm bells rang in her heart.