Chapter 30: Bringing Zhu Zhuqing Home to Meet the Family

"Zhuqing, who is he?"

"Is that any of your business?"

As Dai Mubai turned his gaze toward Zhu Zhuqing, Nian Yun stepped sideways to block his view.

"Kid, I don't think you know the consequences."

"Roar—"

A Nether White Tiger appeared behind Dai Mubai, letting out a furious roar.

Seeing this, Zhu Zhuqing hurried between the two. "Dai Mubai, what are you doing?"

"Zhuqing, have you forgotten your status?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Zhuqing immediately turned her head away.

"What, starting to pull rank? If the things you've done were to get out, what would it matter even if you are a prince?"

As Nian Yun spoke, he gestured for Dai Mubai to look back at the two flamboyant beauties standing nearby.

"Hmph."

"First Spirit Skill: Jade Rock Shield."

A white tiger claw left a gash across the rock shield on Nian Yun's body.

"Second Spirit Skill: White Tiger Intense Light Wave."

"Second Spirit Skill: Nether Hundred Claws."

"Boom—"

"Zhuqing, you..." Dai Mubai looked in bewilderment at the claw blades suddenly pressed against his throat.

As the dust settled, Nian Yun slowly stepped out.

Seeing that Nian Yun was unharmed, Zhu Zhuqing breathed a sigh of relief before speaking solemnly to Dai Mubai: "From now on, you take your bridge and I’ll take my road. We shall not interfere with one another."

"Zhuqing..."

Withdrawing her claws, Zhu Zhuqing ran away quickly.

As Nian Yun turned to leave, Dai Mubai called out, "What is your name?"

"Nian Yun. And by the way, Prince Dai, a word of advice: Zhuqing will become a princess of the Star Luo Empire sooner or later, but it won't be as your princess."

"You're courting death!" Dai Mubai roared and charged forward.

"Thud."

Nian Yun stomped his left foot firmly, causing a crack to race across the ground until it reached Dai Mubai’s feet, instantly pinning him in place.

"Did you enjoy your turn to attack? Now, it's my turn." As Dai Mubai was restrained, Nian Yun sprinted toward him, his right fist coated in a layer of rock.

"Pfft—"

A heavy punch landed squarely on Dai Mubai's face.

"Isn't your marriage to Zhuqing just a political arrangement? You don't want it, so I'll help you end it."

Taking one last look at Dai Mubai, Nian Yun turned and ran in the direction Zhu Zhuqing had taken.

Dai Mubai struggled to climb to his feet. "Nian Yun!"

***

"Knock, knock—"

"Who is it? Coming, coming!"

"Click—"

"Xiao Yun? And who is this?" Nian Yun's mother was overjoyed to see him return.

"The academy is on break, so I came back. This is my friend from the academy, Zhu Zhuqing." As he spoke, Nian Yun gave Zhu Zhuqing a wink.

"Hello, Auntie."

"Oh, if she's a friend of Xiao Yun's, come in, don't just stand outside." Seeing the friend Nian Yun had brought home, his mother couldn't stop smiling. "Come in, don't be shy. It might be a bit messy."

Faced with such a warm family, Zhu Zhuqing felt as though she couldn't distinguish between reality and a dream for a moment.

At the dinner table, Zhu Zhuqing enjoyed a warmth and happiness she had never known before, and under the influence of Nian Yun's family, the smile on her face slowly blossomed.

"You two eat first, I'll go tidy up the room."

"Mom, I'll just sleep on a floor mat in the room for a while. You go get some rest; I'll handle it."

"Your room isn't as comfortable as mine. Miss Zhuqing rarely visits; how could we treat her poorly?"

"Auntie, it's really fine. Please, go get some rest."

Seeing the look Nian Yun gave her, his mother stopped fussing, said a few words, and retired to her room.

"My mom is just like that—she worries about everything."

"It's fine, Auntie is very warm."

After dinner, in the middle of the night, inside the room:

Because of Nian Yun's insistence, Zhu Zhuqing slept in the bed.

"I'm sorry, I've caused you trouble."

"Are you talking about that person from earlier?"

Zhu Zhuqing looked at the full moon outside the window and hesitated for a long time. "He is Prince Dai Mubai of the Star Luo Empire, and also my fiancé."

"Even if he is an incumbent prince, I have nothing to fear—especially since he's just a fallen prince."

"You..."

"It's not hard to guess. I don't think you like the arrangements made by the royal family either."

"Mm."

"You didn't come to Balak just to find him, did you?"

"No, I want to enroll in Shrek Academy."

"You're going there too? I was planning to enroll there as well. There's about a month until the semester starts; do you want to go together?"

"Mm."

***

Tiandou City.

After waiting for several days, the fake identities for Nian Yun and Zhu Zhuqing were finally prepared.

***

With a month left before the semester at Shrek Academy, Nian Yun couldn't stay idle and wandered around Tiandou City, all because his system map indicated a great opportunity on this road!

"Clang, clang—"

"It's him, that's the guy!"

Hearing a commotion, Nian Yun thought he'd take a look, but to his surprise, he was the center of the commotion.

In an instant, a line of soldiers rushed toward him.

"Looking for trouble, are you, you bastards?"

Purple electricity began to coil around Nian Yun's right hand. He looked up to see a massive hand descending upon him. He quickly unfurled his Wind Wings and retreated outside the range of the attack.

"A Spirit King? Hah, is that all?"

Before Nian Yun could prepare for a real battle, several more Spirit Kings appeared from the surroundings.

Nian Yun let out a soft scoff, the purple electricity crackling.

"I surrender."

***

"Thump—"

Nian Yun was thrown into the dungeon.

Looking at the shackles on his hands and feet, Nian Yun felt a sense of novelty and simply sat down.

"Young man, so young and so handsome, how did you end up here?"

An old man opposite him looked at Nian Yun with curiosity. Nian Yun could see many stories in the old man's eyes.

"I don't know. I was just walking down the street and got grabbed."

"No, no, that's not it."

"What's not it, old man?"

"Looking at your face, you don't look like a killer or a thief."

"You can read faces, old man?" Since transmigrating to the Douluo Continent, Nian Yun hadn't heard that term in a long time; he immediately sat up straight.

"There are only two possibilities for you being caught. One: a noble in the palace took a fancy to you, and you'll be packed up and sent off shortly."

"And the second?"

"The second is that you messed around with a decent woman, and because some of your 'parts' didn't perform well, she grew disgusted with you. You kept pestering her, so she reported you to the soldiers. Tell me, were you accused by a woman?"

"Ah." Distracted by the end of the question, Nian Yun was about to affirm it, but quickly realized, "Old man, you're trying to trap me."

"Young man, why so excited? But you don't need to worry. I have medicine. Everyone who uses it says it's great. It's not expensive, only fifty gold soul coins."

Having listened to the nonsense for half a day, Nian Yun turned his head away and ignored him.

"Clang, clang—"

The sound echoed through the dungeon. A flash of cyan light flickered in Nian Yun's eyes. "They're here."

The old man across from him wanted to say more, but upon hearing the sound, he immediately fell silent. He peeked over, his pupils dilated instantly, and his mouth fell open. "The... the First Prince!"