After a long day, the group managed to cover approximately 400 kilometers—about one-fifth of the journey. Of course, this progress didn't include Yun Feng and the girls, who traveled with more comfort.
To avoid camping under the stars, Yun Feng took the initiative to pay for accommodations in a small town. Though the "town" was more of a large village, they found the only inn available. It was simple but clean enough.
Initially, Flender planned to flex his thriftiness and only booked three rooms—one for the teachers, one for the male students, and one for the female students. However, Yun Feng outright refused this arrangement.
Not one to lack funds, Ning Rongrong stepped in, paying for separate rooms for Yun Feng, herself, Zhu Zhuqing, and Xiao Wu, leaving the others to sort themselves out.
As Yun Feng lay on his bed preparing to sleep, Zhu Zhuqing suddenly appeared at his window.
Seeing her, Yun Feng, puzzled, asked,
"Zhuqing, what are you doing here so late? And why didn't you come through the door?"
Without answering, Zhu Zhuqing slipped in through the window and approached Yun Feng. Just as she was about to speak, there was a knock at the door.
The sound startled Zhu Zhuqing, and she instinctively looked for a place to hide. Without waiting for Yun Feng's reaction, she slipped into his bed, curling under the covers.
The door creaked open slightly, and Xiao Wu poked her head inside.
"Yun Feng, you're not asleep yet, are you?"
Yun Feng's eyes twinkled with amusement as he replied,
"No, I'm still awake. What's up, Xiao Wu?"
Looking a bit tired, Xiao Wu pouted playfully.
"We've been running all day, and my legs are so sore. Can you rub them for me?"
During their grueling training sessions, Yun Feng had often helped Xiao Wu massage her legs to relieve fatigue. The realization hit him—Zhu Zhuqing likely came for the same reason.
Before he could confirm his hunch, there was another knock at the door.
"Yun Feng, are you there? My legs are so sore. Can you help me, too?" Ning Rongrong's voice called from outside.
Xiao Wu stiffened upon hearing Ning Rongrong's voice, her eyes darting around the room nervously. Finally, she dived under the covers, joining Zhu Zhuqing.
Inside the blanket, Xiao Wu was startled to find Zhu Zhuqing already hiding there. She widened her eyes in shock. Zhu Zhuqing, equally embarrassed, blushed furiously.
"What are you doing here?" Xiao Wu whispered.
"The same thing you're doing," Zhu Zhuqing replied softly.
Xiao Wu's expression froze—she wasn't as special as she thought!
Meanwhile, Ning Rongrong entered the room. Not noticing the tension beneath the covers, she sat on Yun Feng's bed and stretched her long, fair leg over his shoulder with surprising ease.
"Good thing you're still awake!" Ning Rongrong chirped.
Yun Feng, feeling the weight of the situation, sighed inwardly. He couldn't shake the sensation of two sets of eyes glaring at him from under the blanket.
With no way out, Yun Feng began massaging Ning Rongrong's leg, channeling his soul power to ease her muscle tension.
"How does that feel?" he asked.
"Really good," Ning Rongrong replied, her eyes half-closed in bliss. "It's like all the soreness is melting away."
Despite her socks, Yun Feng's heated touch penetrated deeply, relaxing her completely.
"Alright, let's switch to the other leg," Yun Feng said.
As he continued, Ning Rongrong leaned closer, her gaze soft and dreamy.
"Yun Feng, wouldn't it be nice if things stayed like this forever? You should stay by my side, okay?"
Hearing this, Yun Feng could almost feel the anger radiating from the blanket.
Sensing the tension, Yun Feng quickly changed the topic.
"We're still young. Let's focus on cultivating our soul power for now."
Ning Rongrong giggled softly.
"Fine, then when we're older, I'll marry you. How about that? You can take care of me forever."
This declaration nearly pushed Zhu Zhuqing and Xiao Wu over the edge. Unable to endure any longer, they both sprang from the covers, glaring at Ning Rongrong.
Caught off guard, Ning Rongrong froze in shock.
"Xiao Wu? Zhuqing? What are you two doing here?"
Xiao Wu crossed her arms, huffing coldly.
"If we hadn't been here, we wouldn't have caught you trying to steal Yun Feng for yourself!"
For once, the usually bold Ning Rongrong was at a loss for words, her face flushing a deep red. She stammered,
"I-I just wanted him to massage my legs. I didn't mean anything else…"
Xiao Wu arched a skeptical brow.
"Oh? Is that why I heard you talking about marrying him just now?"
Ning Rongrong looked away, her confidence completely shattered.
Under the scrutinizing gazes of Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong shrank back, fidgeting nervously.
"I… I didn't mean it that way!" she insisted weakly.
In the midst of the chaos, Yun Feng sighed
, rubbing his temples.
"Looks like I won't be getting any sleep tonight…"
(End of Chapter)