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Dai Chengfeng glanced at Hu Liena, who was pretending to be calm but couldn't take her eyes off the pot of soup.
He figured it was enough teasing; if he continued, this Holy Maiden of the Spirit Hall might end up starving herself through the night out of stubbornness.
Clearing his throat, he deliberately spoke in a casual tone to Ning Rongrong, who was still devouring her bowl, and Zhu Zhuqing, who was savoring each bite:
"Oh dear, it seems I made too much soup. It looks like a certain girl who claims to have 'tasted every delicacy' is destined to miss out. We'll split the rest among us—it should be just enough…"
That comment became the final straw that broke Hu Liena's resolve.
"Wait… wait!"
Hu Liena blurted out almost instinctively.
As soon as the words left her mouth, two bright red patches instantly spread across her cheeks, reaching all the way to her ears.
Embarrassed, she lowered her head, her voice barely audible: "…I… I want some too…"
"Hmm? You want what?"
Dai Chengfeng pretended not to hear clearly and turned his head to ask.
Hu Liena abruptly looked up, glaring at Dai Chengfeng with a mix of shame and frustration. But seeing the knowing and teasing glint in his eyes, she deflated like a punctured balloon.
"The soup! I want some soup too! Alright?!"
After saying this, she still tried to save face by adding: "I… I'm just trying to avoid wasting food!"
"And… and since Rongrong seems to enjoy it so much, I want to see if it's really as good as everyone says!"
This transparent excuse caused Ning Rongrong to look up from her bowl, a bit of soup still clinging to the corner of her mouth, mumbling supportively:
"Sister Nana, it's super delicious! Hurry up, or there won't be any left!"
Seeing that Hu Liena had reached her limit, Dai Chengfeng decided to stop teasing. He knew this Holy Maiden had already pushed herself as far as she could go.
He chuckled softly, no longer poking fun, and picked up the last bowl. Pouring the remaining soup into it, he handed it to Hu Liena.
Hu Liena took the bowl, and when her fingertips touched the warm surface, they trembled slightly.
She gazed at the jade-marrow-like, rich soup inside, imitating the others as she carefully took a sip.
The next moment, Hu Liena froze briefly.
The exquisite, umami flavor instantly conquered her taste buds. All the awkwardness, embarrassment, and stubborn pride melted away in an instant.
Without saying a word, she quietly began drinking spoonful after spoonful, even faster than Ning Rongrong, as if trying to make up for the time she missed earlier.
By the campfire, only the sounds of satisfied eating and occasional murmurs of appreciation remained.
Dai Chengfeng looked at the three girls before him—each unique in their own way but now equally immersed in the simple joy brought by the delicious meal. A pleased smile curled at the corners of his lips.
"It seems even people from another world can't escape the 'It's So Good' rule!"
Dai Chengfeng shook his head.
---
Night deepened, and the glow of the campfire gradually dimmed, leaving only faintly glowing embers flickering in the darkness.
The satisfaction of a hearty meal and the fatigue of the journey washed over them together. The valley returned to silence, broken only by the occasional chirping of insects, which added to the tranquil atmosphere.
Ning Rongrong contentedly rubbed her slightly bloated belly, letting out a small yawn. Tears of drowsiness even welled up at the corners of her eyes.
Stretching lazily, she said sweetly: "Ah… I'm so full and sleepy… Today was exhausting. I think I'll go to bed first."
With that, she playfully leaned close to Hu Liena, linking arms with her: "Sister Nana, let's go back to the tent?"
The blush on Hu Liena's face hadn't completely faded yet, perhaps due to the warmth of the soup or lingering traces of her earlier humiliation.
She glanced at Dai Chengfeng, who had already stood up to tidy up the cooking utensils, and gave a soft "Mm" in response to Ning Rongrong.
Without looking at Dai Chengfeng again, she pulled Ning Rongrong along and quickly walked toward the tent they shared.
Zhu Zhuqing had also risen earlier. Out of habit, she quietly helped Dai Chengfeng gather the bowls and chopsticks, her movements precise and efficient.
Her gaze briefly met Dai Chengfeng's. "I'm going to rest now."
"Alright, sleep early."
Dai Chengfeng nodded gently, watching Zhu Zhuqing turn around.
Her slender figure, bathed in the hazy moonlight, resembled a dark orchid quietly blooming in the night—lonely yet strikingly captivating.
She approached her small tent, bent down, and slipped inside. The tent flap fell behind her, cutting off the outside view.
Dai Chengfeng quickly cleaned up the remnants of their meal.
After finishing, he stood in the center of the valley, his gaze sweeping over the four tents standing silently in the darkness.
From Ning Rongrong and Hu Liena's tent came faint rustling and whispers, which soon subsided into silence.
As for Zhu Zhuqing's tent, it remained as quiet as ever, as if the person inside had fallen asleep instantly.
A cool breeze brushed past, carrying the chill of the mountains.
Dai Chengfeng deeply inhaled the crisp air. Instead of heading toward the tent meant for him—a slightly empty and spacious one—he moved with light, nearly soundless steps to Zhu Zhuqing's tent.
Stopping in front of the tent flap, he didn't speak immediately but stood quietly for a moment, as if listening for any movement inside.
After a while, he extended a finger and lightly tapped twice on the tent flap, his voice as soft as a whisper:
"Zhuqing."
Inside the tent, Zhu Zhuqing hadn't gone to sleep.
She was lying fully clothed on her sleeping mat when she suddenly heard the faint knock on the tent flap, followed closely by his low call. Her entire body stiffened.
Why did he come?!
Ning Rongrong and Hu Liena were just nearby. Even though they might already be asleep, what if…
In an instant, countless thoughts and worries flooded Zhu Zhuqing's mind like a tidal wave.
Her heart began racing uncontrollably, and she sat up almost instinctively, her movements hurried and nervous.
Lowering her voice, she asked in the direction of the tent flap:
"…Dai Chengfeng? Is that you? What… what are you doing here?"
Outside the tent, Dai Chengfeng could almost picture her startled deer-like expression and chuckled softly. His laughter filtered through the tent fabric:
"Do I need a reason to visit you? Open up and let me in."
His tone was natural, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, but it made Zhu Zhuqing's heart beat even faster.
She gripped the edge of her clothing tightly: "No! It's too late… And Rongrong and Nana are right next door—they'll find out!"
"You should go back!"
However, Dai Chengfeng clearly had no intention of giving up.
"They're tired and already fast asleep. I won't stay long—I just… wanted to see you."
"Open the tent, Zhuqing, or… do you want me to stand outside and risk making noise, which would draw even more attention?"
Hearing Dai Chengfeng's "threat," Zhu Zhuqing felt both embarrassed and flustered.
She knew his personality well—once he set his mind on something, it wasn't easy to dissuade him.
And he was right; if he lingered outside for too long, it would only increase the risk.
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