"How dare you hit me? Not even my father has ever laid a hand on me!"
Tears streaming down her face, Ning Rongrong shrieked in desperation.
"Ye Xuan, you're no man! You actually hit a woman!"
Ye Xuan sneered.
"You, a woman? Let me tell you, you wouldn't even count as a beast!"
Sobbing uncontrollably, Ning Rongrong cried out, "Why? Why did things turn out like this... Wuwu, I was clearly your fiancée! Zhu Zhuqing and Dai Mubai are betrothed, yet you steal someone else's wife."
Impatiently, Ye Xuan retorted, "What do you mean, 'someone else's wife'? She's my wife now."
"Didn't you just give a fine speech about hating arranged marriages and wanting the freedom to love? Why shouldn't Zhu Zhuqing be allowed to pursue free love?"
Ning Rongrong was left speechless.
Stammering and stuttering, she managed to say, "I did say that, yes..."
"But... you forced Zhu Zhuqing! That's right, that's what happened!"
"You used the might of a Title Douluo to force Zhu Zhuqing to be your fiancée! You took her by force and cuckolded Dai Mubai! You're completely lawless!"
The more Ning Rongrong spoke, the more agitated she became.
Even her usually flat chest heaved so violently that it developed a slight curve.
"Lawless? I am the law!"
Ye Xuan chuckled derisively. "Still, I need to clear up one thing. You accuse me of taking her by force, but I really can't take the blame for that."
"Zhu Zhuqing was completely willing. Ours is a relationship of free love."
Furious, Ning Rongrong snapped, "What free love? You only met today! What kind of feelings could you possibly have?"
Ye Xuan maintained a deadpan expression.
"Of course we do. Feelings grow over time, don't they? Isn't there an expression about affection developing through prolonged intimacy?"
He was planning to get intimate the moment he got back.
He would enter her body first, then explore her soul.
Given time, they would grow familiar inside and out.
One slap to her uptight bottom and he'd know what position to switch to—how could their souls not match after that?
Ning Rongrong was struck dumb. Her mind raced wildly before she suddenly put on a pitiful, delicate act.
"Ye Xuan, what on earth is so great about Zhu Zhuqing?"
"Aside from the two lumps of fat on her chest, a fuller figure, and a cuter face, what other merits does she have?"
"She's gloomy, hates saying a word all day long, doesn't know how to care for others, and marrying her might even bring trouble from the Star Luo Empire. She's nothing but a burden."
When Ning Rongrong heard that Ye Xuan was confident he could elevate Zhu Zhuqing from a Spirit Elder to a Spirit King within a year—completely without side effects and even enhancing her innate talent—regret twisted her guts until they felt as though they were turning green.
As for Zhu Zhuqing, she felt nothing but jealousy and bitter hatred.
All those benefits were supposed to belong to her, Ning Rongrong.
She was, after all, the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan and a genius with rank nine innate spirit power. If she also had the youngest Title Douluo in history as her fiancé, and became a Spirit King before the age of fourteen with Ye Xuan's help—
Ning Rongrong could hardly imagine how happy she would be.
Zhu Zhuqing was a shameless thief trying to steal what rightfully belonged to her.
So much for sisterly affection. So much for classmate camaraderie.
In the face of immense benefits, those were utter bullshit! Not to mention the intense competitive streak between women.
Ning Rongrong refused to admit she was inferior to Zhu Zhuqing! Forcing a smile onto her face, she endured the stinging mark of the slap and said, "But I'm different, Ye Xuan. Look, you've already slapped me. Growing up, my dad couldn't even bear to scold me... Haven't you vented your anger yet?"
"Let's make up. I'll be a good girl and listen to you from now on."
"No matter what, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan will always benefit you, whereas Zhu Zhuqing can only hold you back." How could Ye Xuan fail to see right through Ning Rongrong's petty little thoughts! It was laughable that she actually dared to compare herself to Zhu Zhuqing.
Was Ning Rongrong worthy? The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan wasn't worth a damn in Ye Xuan's eyes! They weren't even worth those two lumps of meat on Zhu Zhuqing's chest!
Before Ye Xuan could reply, Zhu Zhuqing—who had already risen to her feet after Ye Xuan released his oppressive aura—walked straight up to Ning Rongrong.
"Crack!"
The crisp sound of a slap echoed through the air.
Ning Rongrong froze in shock.
The scene unfolding before them left the rest of the Shrek Seven Devils, and even Ye Xuan, stunned into silence.
Zhu Zhuqing rubbed her slightly reddened hand.
Screaming, Ning Rongrong demanded, "Zhu Zhuqing, who do you think you are? How dare you hit me!"
"Crack! Crack!" With a backhand and a forehand, two slaps abruptly cut off Ning Rongrong's screams.
For some reason, looking at the merciless and action-oriented Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong felt the exact same terror she felt facing Ye Xuan.
"Shut your mouth! If you keep screeching, I'll hit you again!"
Zhu Zhuqing pressed her lips together, her gaze suddenly turning fierce.
"Ning Rongrong, my silence isn't because I'm stupid; I just believe actions speak louder than words! Do you think you're the only one born with a mouth?"
"Why shouldn't Ye Xuan choose me? I'm obviously much more womanly than you!"
"Besides, you're self-willed and overbearing, Ning Rongrong. Take today for instance: Ye Xuan didn't do a thing, yet you immediately started badmouthing him to the rest of the Shrek members."
"I know what you're up to. You just want to stir up that simpering fool Oscar's protective instincts, and prove to Tang San that despite your engagement, you're still pure."
"To put it bluntly, you're just trying to string both Tang San and Oscar along!"
Zhu Zhuqing had completely given up on Ning Rongrong. She usually hated talking, but she saw through everyone's relationships most clearly.
Bystanders really do see things most clearly, after all.
She hadn't wanted to spell it out, but Ning Rongrong was practically about to climb onto her head and shit. Zhu Zhuqing had a temper of her own!
Taking a deep breath, Zhu Zhuqing continued:
"Ning Rongrong, you know full well how close Tang San and Xiao Wu are, yet you insisted on inserting yourself between them and constantly sucking up to Tang San."
"Do you think I couldn't see what you were after? Even Xiao Wu could tell!"
"And now, seeing that Tang San—whom you once thought so highly of—isn't a patch on Ye Xuan, you want to crawl back after rejecting him in the first place, completely lacking any self-respect!"
"Tell me, why on earth would Ye Xuan ever choose you?"
Slap, slap, slap, slap, slap, slap...
"Well said!"
Ye Xuan couldn't help but applaud.
It seemed Zhu Zhuqing simply disliked talking, not that she didn't know how to speak.
She saw right through Ning Rongrong's little schemes quite clearly! Still, Ye Xuan had something to add.
"Ning Rongrong, you have no figure to speak of, and no personality either. You're just a vain, superficial snob, an arrogant second-generation brat. Once you leave the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan and lose your father, what are you?"
Powerless to refute him, Ning Rongrong turned as pale as a corpse.
With a bitter, wretched smile, her eyes rolled back into her head as sheer rage overwhelmed her, and she fainted dead away!
"Rongrong!"
Oscar cried out in heartbreak, consumed by anguish.
*[Rongrong, my dear Rongrong, why are you still clinging to this obsession? Ye Xuan won't look at you, but you still have me... I won't hold it against you.]*