Zhu Zhuqing dodged her gaze and said, "No need, I can go back by myself. The city is much safer than the wilderness, so don't worry about me."
She instinctively didn't want to let Shen An know about her current situation, or rather, she wasn't used to showing weakness to anyone.
Shen An smiled and said, "How can that be? We're life-and-death partners. Plus, even though my strength is weaker than yours now, I'm a man. How could I let a girl walk around alone at night?"
"Life-and-death partners? And a man's sense of responsibility?" Zhu Zhuqing looked at Shen An's warm smile and felt a sense of surreal disbelief. If only Dai Mubai could be like him.
"When I got to Shrek Academy, I found out that it wasn't time for the school to start. By the time I came back to Soto City, all the hotels were fully booked," Zhu Zhuqing hesitated for a moment and then told Shen An about her situation.
"Meow, meow, meow!" Tom jumped around beside them.
Shen An noticed Tom's actions and understood what it meant. Hmm? Maybe it's not such a bad idea after all.
"Zhuqing, Tom suggests that our room is big enough, so you can sleep with us. It's definitely more comfortable than staying outside."
Really? "Meow, meow, meow" can be translated into that much? Zhu Zhuqing thought to herself skeptically.
As Zhu Zhuqing hesitated, Tom kept pawing at her pants and making meowing noises, which immediately softened Zhu Zhuqing's heart.
"Alright, then. I'll trouble you tonight. Thank you," Zhu Zhuqing agreed after a brief hesitation and whispered a thank you.
What? Did I hear that right? The icy beauty actually said 'thank you'! Hearing that word from Zhu Zhuqing was incredibly satisfying for Shen An. He had tried everything to get on her good side, and now that she was thanking him, it felt like a reward.
"Hmm?" As soon as Zhu Zhuqing entered the room, she noticed the scent of perfume in the air, as if something was being masked.
Shen An couldn't help but mutter, "This hotel is quite considerate, even remembering to freshen up the room's smell."
In fact, when Shen An had first arrived, the impurities expelled from his body smelled awful.
After a long day, everyone had worked up a sweat. Shen An noticed Zhu Zhuqing occasionally glancing toward the bathroom, so he spoke up, "I'm going downstairs to buy something. You can go ahead and take a shower."
"Mm."
Shen An then immediately left with Tom, who looked confused. "Why are you dragging me out? I just want to lie down comfortably."
Bang! The door closed behind them, and Zhu Zhuqing quietly pursed her lips, thinking to herself that Shen An was quite considerate to leave her space.
Girls are generally clean, but Zhu Zhuqing had been traveling in the wild and hadn't had the chance to take a proper shower—just a quick wash here and there.
She took out some clothes from the soul tool and walked into the bathroom, eager to enjoy the feeling of water flowing over her skin. As she lay in the bathtub, cleaning herself, Shen An's face unexpectedly flashed in her mind, reminding her of the time when he secretly looked at her, making her blush.
"Zhu Zhuqing, what are you thinking? Forget it. In the future, he'll just be a passerby, an ordinary soul master."
Shen An and Tom bought some snacks and fruits, planning to snack on them. After waiting for an hour in the hotel lobby, Shen An thought it was probably time to go upstairs and knock, but there was no response!
Shen An had thought he'd given enough time, but he had underestimated how much girls love a good bath and being clean. He and Tom ended up waiting another half hour outside before they could finally get inside.
When Zhu Zhuqing opened the door, her long black hair was still damp, and she exuded a fresh, post-bath scent. The moment the door opened, a wave of fragrance hit Shen An, and he gave her a reproachful look. "Do girls always take this long to shower?"
Tom, having seen it all before, walked in without a second thought. He had encountered plenty of cats slower than Zhu Zhuqing when it came to bathing.
"Hmph, of course, I need to wash thoroughly. How could you be surprised?" Zhu Zhuqing responded, still a little flushed from the bath, even teasing him a little.
"Alright, Tom, pack up. We should go take a shower too."
"What! You're going too?" Zhu Zhuqing's face turned redder. If Shen An also took a shower, that would mean he'd be using the same bathtub she just used! That was too much!
"Of course, I'm tired after walking around with Tom all day, so I'm going to take a shower too. Come on, let's go, Tom." Shen An looked at Zhu Zhuqing, puzzled, and then took Tom into the bathroom.
Zhu Zhuqing wanted to stop them but didn't want to seem too petty. After all, it was Shen An's hotel room, and if he had no issues with it, how could she complain?
She helplessly watched as Shen An and Tom entered the bathroom, the door shutting behind them. Soon, the sound of running water could be heard.
He's really going to take a shower! Zhu Zhuqing felt a sense of embarrassment wash over her. It seemed like everything awkward was happening because of Shen An.
When Shen An came out again, he found Zhu Zhuqing lying on the bed with a vacant expression, as though lost in thought.
However, Shen An didn't pry. After all, they had been traveling for days, and he needed rest. But there was one problem: there was only one bed in the hotel room. How were they going to sleep?
The bed was big enough for three, but space wasn't the issue—he had to consider the differences between men and women.
After thinking for a moment, Shen An had an idea. "Zhuqing, Zhuqing, I need to talk to you."
"Mm? What is it?" Zhu Zhuqing snapped out of her thoughts and replied sullenly.
"Well, the hotel only has one bed, and we can't just share it because of, you know, gender differences. So, how about I—"
Zhu Zhuqing, hearing this, thought to herself, He's not that dumb. He wants to let me sleep on the bed, huh? Well, I'll let it go, since he's already shared a bathtub with me.
"How about you sleep on the couch, and Tom and I sleep on the bed?" Shen An continued, explaining further, "The couch is too small for both Tom and me."
???
Zhu Zhuqing took a deep breath, clearly irritated. So straightforward? No tact whatsoever, big fool!
She coldly turned and walked toward the couch, angrily lying down without saying a word.
Tom silently gave Shen An a thumbs-up, as if to say, Well done! I couldn't have matched you, even if I tried. Don't blame me, though. Even if the matchmaker tied the two of you together with steel wires, you'd probably snap them.
Zhu Zhuqing hugged the cushion tightly as she lay on the couch. The pressure of it made her feel a little frustrated. I risked my life for a random guy like Shen An, and he's taking advantage of me. And now, he doesn't even let me sleep on the bed. How unfair...
She fumed, feeling like crying.