Chapter 12: Not Changing the Water

"Put this on!"

Amidst the wind and rain, the sound of thunder was constant.

But there was no sound of the boy's rage to make the girl feel afraid; she had grown up to this age, and never before had anyone treated her like this.

For a moment, she was completely stunned.

Qin Jian quietly breathed a sigh of relief in his heart, hurriedly taking the opportunity to put the rain poncho on her and tie it up, then without another word, he carried her on his back and ran.

Outside, Ning Fengzhi and Jian Douluo also breathed a sigh of relief.

If Ning Rongrong had continued to be so stubborn, they didn't know if they would have been able to stay firm...

After a good while, Ning Rongrong finally came back to her senses.

"Qin Jian! You actually yelled at me just now! Put me down!"

She suddenly began to struggle.

"I won't!"

Not only did Qin Jian not put her down, but he stepped on the muddy ground and ran even faster.

"You put me down!"

Ning Rongrong kept slapping Qin Jian's back, moving incessantly, making it impossible for Qin Jian to continue running.

Slap! Slap!

He suddenly freed one hand and, without a word, slapped down, emitting a crisp sound...

"Stop moving around!"

Ning Rongrong was dumbfounded...

Even Ning Fengzhi and Jian Douluo outside were dumbfounded...

"You... how could you slap me there..."

A moment later, Ning Rongrong said with shame and anger: "A girl's place there cannot be touched!"

"I touched it! Bite me if you can!"

Qin Jian had also thrown caution to the wind.

With this rainstorm and gale, Ning Rongrong was still dragging her feet; anyone in his position would be in a bad mood.

"I... I..."

Ning Rongrong was choked up, then hardened her heart, and with an "Awoo," she bit down on his shoulder...

"Ah! You really bit me!"

Qin Jian was exasperated.

"I'll bite! I'll bite! Awoo..."

Ning Rongrong wouldn't let go...

After tossing and turning like this for a long time, Qin Jian still didn't put her down.

It was unknown how much time had passed; in the storm, the little boy carried the little girl and ran wildly all the way.

Although disheveled, it was strangely heartwarming.

"Will these two little ones develop feelings..."

Ning Fengzhi was suddenly a bit worried.

Jian Douluo then said: "Let nature take its course. Rongrong is still young; even if there is something, the impact shouldn't be great."

This was the reason he encouraged Qin Jian to do it, because he didn't think that at such a young age, it would truly harm Ning Rongrong...

"That's true..."

Ning Fengzhi nodded...

Inside the Mimicry Cultivation Ground.

Qin Jian didn't know how long he had been running; he only knew that his footsteps were getting heavier and heavier...

Finally, in the storm, he saw a massive tent.

He mustered his remaining strength and charged straight in, lifting the door curtain.

The heavy rain, thunder, and wind were immediately blocked outside.

"Huff, huff..."

Qin Jian leaned on his knees and panted heavily; it was a full ten minutes before he slowly recovered.

"Qin Jian, are you okay?"

Ning Rongrong finally climbed down from his back; her legs went soft, and she almost sat on the ground.

It was truly because of the jolting for so long just now that her legs had gone numb.

"I... huff... am alright..."

Sweat poured down Qin Jian's face like rain: "You... huff... go see what's in the tent first... I'll... huff... rest a bit more..."

"Oh, okay..."

A moment later, Ning Rongrong, who hadn't expended much energy, recovered, and her attention was soon drawn to the facilities in the tent.

"Wow... there's delicious food here!"

"Wow, wow! There are also clothes to change into! And a place to bathe!"

"Wow! Such a big bed!"

"..."

The sounds of her exclamations kept coming, and the corners of Qin Jian's mouth curled up slightly: "She really is just a little girl..."

He arduously stretched his calves.

After running for so long, if he didn't stretch, they would turn into lotus-root legs...

Supporting himself to finish a set of stretches, Qin Jian could no longer hold on and sat down on the ground all at once.

"Qin Jian, Qin Jian, do you want to take a bath? You can still take a bath here!" Ning Rongrong ran over excitedly and said.

Qin Jian shook his head and said gently, "You are soaked through too, you go wash first..."

"Okay, then I'm going!"

Ning Rongrong ran back excitedly again.

Qin Jian shook his head, then saw that there was still a stove in the center of the tent.

He moved toward it with difficulty and lit it.

"Crackle, pop..."

The warm firelight lit up, and he finally felt a bit more comfortable...

"La la la..."

Behind the tent, the sound of fine splashing water gradually came, along with the sound of the girl humming happily...

Qin Jian's eyelids grew heavier and heavier...

It is unknown how much time passed.

The sound of water behind gradually disappeared, and a glowing Ning Rongrong finally walked out.

"Qin Jian, Qin Jian, I'm done washing, you go wash quickly too..."

She stopped mid-sentence, suddenly stunned.

Because in the center of the tent, the young man was hugging his knees, his head resting on them, already fast asleep.

The warm firelight shone on his face, making it flushed red.

Ning Rongrong did not know why, but her heart gave a tug.

"Drip, drop..."

She quietly walked forward and saw that drops of rainwater were still falling from Qin Jian's clothes, soaking the surrounding ground.

"Qin Jian..."

Ning Rongrong suddenly wanted to cry.

This young man had traveled through all kinds of hardships to get here, his clothes were soaked through, he was exhausted, he didn't even have the strength to change his clothes...

Yet he still didn't complain once, nor did he blame her for being willful; he just silently did everything, and even let her go take a bath first, when clearly the one who needed a warm water soak the most was himself...

"Qin Jian..."

Tears rolled down the girl's cheeks.

"Cough, cough... cough, cough..."

Just at this moment, Qin Jian, with his head resting on his knees, suddenly began to cough.

His face twisted slightly, appearing very uncomfortable, but he did not wake up.

"He wouldn't be sick, would he?!"

Ning Rongrong was startled and hurriedly stepped forward to crouch down.

"Qin Jian, Qin Jian, don't sleep, hurry and change out of your wet clothes! Qin Jian!"

Under her persistent shaking, Qin Jian's eyes finally opened slowly, appearing still somewhat dazed.

"Cough, cough..."

But he soon began to cough again, which also made him completely awake.

"Qin Jian, you must not get sick..."

The tears on the girl's face made Qin Jian feel warm inside; he coughed a few more times, then said, "Rongrong, don't worry, I'm not sick, cough, cough..."

"You still say you aren't, when you've clearly been coughing the whole time," Ning Rongrong said with a sobbing tone.

"It's not that..."

Qin Jian revealed a gentle smile: "I just overextended my body, I'll be fine after resting for a night."

"Ah? Is that so?"

Ning Rongrong was stunned, then suddenly thought of something and urged, "Hurry and take off your clothes to take a bath, soak well, otherwise even if you aren't sick now, you will get sick if this continues."

"Okay..."

Qin Jian agreed, slowly supporting himself with his knees to stand up.

After being exhausted and then sleeping for a period of time, his body felt even more fatigued.

Seeing his swaying appearance, Ning Rongrong hurriedly helped him walk to the back, and only then did she turn back to the front.

"Splash..."

Soon, a heavy splashing sound came; that was Qin Jian finally soaking into the bath.

"Eh?"

Ning Rongrong was suddenly stunned, and then a full blush spread across her cheeks.

"He... he... he didn't change the water when he took his bath..."

(End of chapter)