“Hey, those are mine!” Tang Wulin exclaimed, standing up. Yet he made no attempt to get them back; he had always had a soft spot for the hungry.When she saw that her partner was not coming for his food, White Seven plopped down on the ground, chewing blissfully. Hot grease was running down her chin, but she was too famished to care.
Suddenly she began to hit herself on the chest, her face turning red. Tang Wulin thought she must have gotten some food stuck in her throat, so he rushed over right away and patted her on the back.
“Your food is too… dry,” she said with difficulty. “Get me some soup to wash it down.”
Strangely, Tang Wulin did as she said.
White Seven took her mask off. She had had enough of it hindering her from enjoying the food.
Tang Wulin"s eyes went wide. He knew those big eyes and pretty eyelashes. Dai Yun"er?! I should have guessed! Her spiritual attack and her princess syndrome… everything was telling me that she was Dai Yun"er, but I never thought to see her here.
Dai Yun"er must have felt his shock, because she grinned at him with wicked delight. “You know who I am, don"t you? You left me behind, but don"t be scared, I forgive you; you didn"t know who I was. From now on, you will do exactly what I say and never talk back or ask silly questions. Do you understand? Now get me something better to eat. These are inedible! I can barely force them down my throat.”
Tang Wulin threw a disdainful glance at her and started to stride off.
“Hey, where do you think you"re going?!” the princess blazed.
“Far away from you.”
“Hey, stop! I said stop!” Dai Yun"er lurched to her feet and quickly stepped before Tang Wulin, holding the beef in one hand and the bing in the other.
She is quite a sight with her tattered cloak, Tang Wulin smiled behind his mask. I don"t think she has ever experienced this kind of hards.h.i.+p before.
“What do you want, my princess?”
“I want you to follow my orders!” she said angrily.
“Why would I do that?”
“Because if you don"t, I will have your head when we get out.”
“I like my head where it is, but I don"t want to follow your stupid orders, so I guess I have no choice but to kill you.”
Dai Yun"er took a step backward in fear. She started to reach for her dragon ball, but then found both her hands were occupied. She didn"t want to drop the food to the ground; she had gone many days without anything to eat.
Tang Wulin saw the fear in her eyes and laughed. “I won"t kill you, but get the h.e.l.l out of my way.” When she didn"t move, he shoved her to one side and brushed past her.
“If you promise to protect me, I"ll ask Father to make you a knight,” Dai Yun"er said hurriedly.
Tang Wulin stopped and turned around. “A knight?”
“Yes. It"s a great honor. You can be my personal guard if you want when we get out.”
“I don"t want to be a knight or your personal guard. I doubt anyone wants to your personal guard. It would be the worst nightmare.”
“Then what do you want? Money?” No amount of money can buy me another chance to get in the Dragon Valley again, but maybe I can persuade him to protect me. That would help me last longer in this world.
“Rare metals. I"ll write you a list. In exchange, I"ll protect you the best I can.”
“What do you want rare metals for?” Dai Yun"er asked, suddenly wary. Rare metals are strategic materials. “Are you a spy for the Green Skull Renegades?”
“Are you seriously asking me that? Did you get kicked in the head while fighting that dragon?”
“No, I didn"t, but do you have a first aid kit with you?”
“As it happens, I do. But your princess syndrome is beyond cure, I"m afraid,” Tang Wulin jested.
“No. I"m hurt.”
Tang Wulin walked over to her. “Where?”
“My… b.u.t.t,” Dai Yun"er said in a low voice, blus.h.i.+ng. “That stupid dragon scratched me with its claws.”
Tang Wulin took out his first aid kit and handed it to her.
“Thank you.” Dai Yun"er took it in her hand. “Write down your list, but make it short.” With that she ran behind a big tree.
In the dim light of the fire, Tang Wulin started writing on a piece of paper the rare metals that could only be found on the Star Luo Continent.
“Ow!” Dai Yun"er shouted suddenly.
Tang Wulin put down the pen, s.n.a.t.c.hed up a burning stick, and ran to that big tree.
When he lowered the torch, he saw Dai Yun"er was applying medicine to a cheek of her b.u.t.t, round and white.
A scream echoed through the forest, and the princess quickly covered her b.u.t.tocks with her cloak, glaring at Tang Wulin.
Tang Wulin felt awfully embarra.s.sed. He hastily turned around and walked back to the fire.
A few moments later, Dai Yun"er emerged from the dark of the wood. She finished the beef and bing in silence by the fire.
“I"m sorry, I–” Tang Wulin started.
Dai Yun"er cut him off. “Shut up!”
Tang Wulin did as he was bid and went back to writing.
Dai Yun"er ate some soup, walked over to him, and s.n.a.t.c.hed the paper up.