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Fuming inwardly, Dai Chengfeng knew he absolutely couldn't let Ning Rongrong continue being so "brazen."
After all, this little troublemaker's seemingly innocent words were sharp as daggers, each one pouring oil onto the already volatile emotions of Zhu Zhuqing and Hu Liena.
If he let her keep going unchecked…
This breakfast wouldn't be a meal—it would be his "last supper."
"I have to separate her from these two ticking time bombs! First, I need to control the most unstable factor!"
With that thought in mind, Dai Chengfeng forced a smile as natural as possible and addressed Ning Rongrong, who was clearly enjoying herself:
"Rongrong."
Ning Rongrong looked up, her large, crystal-clear eyes brimming with "innocence" and "surprise." She pointed at herself with her finger and cooed sweetly:
"Big Brother, are you calling me?"
Dai Chengfeng clenched his teeth to suppress the urge to grimace, nodded, and spoke as calmly as possible:
"Yes. Come out for a moment—I need to talk to you privately."
The moment those words left his mouth, the already eerie atmosphere in the dining hall froze solid.
Zhu Zhuqing still hadn't turned her head, but the knuckles gripping her glass tightened noticeably.
Hu Liena stopped stirring her milk entirely, the silver spoon resting lightly on the rim of her cup…
She lifted her gaze, scanning between Dai Chengfeng and Ning Rongrong. Her ambiguous smile deepened, laced with an air of "Oh? Starting a private conversation right in front of us?"
As for Ning Rongrong, she felt even more triumphant inside.
Her face naturally flushed with two perfectly placed rosy spots. She feigned embarrassment and hesitated coyly:
"Ah?"
"P-privately? B-but… isn't that inappropriate…"
She glanced "timidly" at Zhu Zhuqing, whose face was as cold as frost, and Hu Liena, who appeared calm and collected. Her voice grew softer: "Zhu Zhuqing and Nana are still here… Big Brother, you're asking just for me?"
"Isn't that… a bit awkward?"
Dai Chengfeng watched Ning Rongrong's perfectly acted display of shyness and felt his teeth grind in frustration.
This little devil loved chaos, and if he didn't drag her out and "educate" her, there'd be no way to salvage the situation today!
He took a deep breath, suppressing the boiling rage within him, and added more force to his tone, leaving no room for refusal: "Yes, I'm asking specifically for you."
"Come with me."
As he spoke, he even stepped forward, reaching out as if to grab Ning Rongrong's wrist.
Ning Rongrong observed Dai Chengfeng's barely concealed frustration and felt a wave of amusement wash over her.
She was certain that Dai Chengfeng wouldn't dare do anything drastic to her in front of Zhu Zhuqing and Hu Liena—he probably just wanted to take her outside for a "warning."
She, Ning Rongrong, was all too familiar with this kind of act.
After all, her father had always done the same thing…
"This is the perfect chance to stretch out the drama and see how flustered and helpless Dai Chengfeng looks, hehe~"
Thinking this, Ning Rongrong pretended to be startled by Dai Chengfeng's "assertiveness," letting out a soft "Ah!" before reluctantly standing up. She turned toward Zhu Zhuqing and Hu Liena with an apologetic tone:
"Well… Zhu Zhuqing, Nana, you two go ahead and eat. I'll… be back soon."
On the surface, it sounded like reassurance, but combined with her earlier performance, it was clear she was saying:
"See? It's not my fault—Dai Chengfeng insisted on talking to me alone. Don't misunderstand, okay~"
With that, she followed Dai Chengfeng "timidly," glancing back repeatedly as they left the dining hall.
...
Outside the inn, the morning sunlight was bright, the streets still relatively empty, and the fresh air stood in stark contrast to the oppressive atmosphere inside the dining hall.
Ning Rongrong followed Dai Chengfeng to a secluded corner beside the inn. As soon as she stopped, she raised her delicate little face.
Gone was any trace of shyness or timidity; only cunning triumph remained.
She tilted her head and asked in a sickeningly sweet voice: "Big Brother, why did you bring me out here alone? What secret are you whispering about?"
"Are you trying to silence me because of last night?"
"It's not impossible, but what's in it for me…?"
She expected Dai Chengfeng to either angrily explain himself or plead with her to stop causing trouble.
However, Dai Chengfeng's reaction caught her off guard.
He slowly turned around, his previous anxiety and awkwardness replaced by a calmness that felt unfamiliar—and even slightly dangerous—to Ning Rongrong.
A sardonic smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Big Brother?"
"Benefits?"
Ning Rongrong's heart skipped a beat, sensing something was off. But her spoiled nature made her slow to react, and she instinctively puffed out her chest:
"What else?"
Before her words faded, Dai Chengfeng suddenly moved!
His speed was lightning-fast. Ning Rongrong barely registered a blur before a powerful grip seized her wrist, and she was spun around and pressed against the inn's wall.
"Dai Chengfeng, you—"
Ning Rongrong gasped, her soul power instinctively surging.
But Dai Chengfeng was faster!
His other hand clamped down like an iron vise on her struggling wrist. He leaned his entire body forward, pinning her firmly between himself and the wall.
Their proximity was intense. Dai Chengfeng loomed over her, looking down at her.
"You want to call me 'Big Brother'?"
Before Ning Rongrong could fully process what was happening, her wide, shocked eyes staring up at him, Dai Chengfeng mercilessly—raised his hand—
Smack!
A sharp, resounding slap echoed through the quiet morning corner.
Dai Chengfeng's palm landed squarely on Ning Rongrong's firm backside!
Time seemed to freeze in that moment.
Ning Rongrong froze completely, her mind blank.
The fiery sting radiating from her backside vividly reminded her of what had just happened.
Her… Ning Rongrong, the little princess of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, the cherished jewel of Patriarch Ning Fengzhi, the pampered darling of Sword Elder and Bone Elder… had actually… been spanked?
After a brief, stunned silence came an eruption of shame and fury!
"Dai Chengfeng, you bastard!!!"
Ning Rongrong thrashed violently, like a furious little wildcat. She kicked wildly, twisted her restrained wrist desperately, and clawed at him with her free hand.
"How dare you hit me?"
"Let me go! Even my father has never hit me!"
From childhood to now, rarely had anyone spoken harshly to her, let alone struck her.
Dai Chengfeng's slap was utterly unexpected.
"Hmm?"
Dai Chengfeng snorted coldly, his arm as immovable as an iron clamp, easily neutralizing her struggles.
When she tried to scratch him with her nails, he simply tilted his head slightly to dodge, then delivered another—
Smack!
This one landed even harder than the first!
"Still calling me 'Big Brother'?"
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