Douluo: Martial Soul White Tiger, I am the White Emperor of Heaven

Chapter 519 Have backbone? So delicious!

"Thank you for the praise, High Priest."

Dai Chengfeng smiled and served himself a full bowl of chalcedony mushroom soup.

Amidst the rising steam, the unique fragrance, imbued with the essence of the mountains and fields, filled Dai Chengfeng with immense satisfaction.

"Tsk..."

He first brought the bowl close to his mouth, gently blew on it, and then carefully took a sip.

"Not bad!"

A satisfied sigh escaped from his throat.

Dai Chengfeng closed his eyes, seemingly savoring the exquisite taste of the soup flowing in his mouth.

His undisguised expression of enjoyment, and the slight movement of his Adam's apple as he swallowed, were nothing short of silent torture for Ning Rongrong, who was already itching with desire from the aroma.

Ning Rongrong watched with longing as Dai Chengfeng took his second sip with a look of pure bliss. She couldn't help but swallow, and her stomach rumbled softly.

In the quiet evening, the sound was barely audible, but to Ning Rongrong herself it sounded like the beating of drums.

Finally, unable to contain herself any longer, she snuggled up to Dai Chengfeng and said in a sweet voice, tinged with a hint of flattery and boundless longing:
"Dai Chengfeng... um... is the soup... good?"

Upon hearing this, Dai Chengfeng slowly put down his bowl, deliberately drawing out his words, raising an eyebrow at Ning Rongrong with a mocking smile on his face:
"Oh? Didn't our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's little princess say that she 'trusts Sister Nana's judgment' and 'doesn't care about my picnic'?"

"Whether it tastes good or not, what does that have to do with you?"

Ning Rongrong's face instantly turned bright red, like a ripe apple.

She didn't expect Dai Chengfeng to remember her and Hu Liena's "bold words" so clearly, and to expose them on the spot.

She stamped her foot awkwardly, then stubbornly said, "Who...who changed their mind! I was just asking out of curiosity!"

"It smells alright, but who knows how it tastes!"

"I've eaten all sorts of delicacies, why would I crave something like this from a roadside stall!"

She said that, but her big, watery eyes were fixed on the pot of fragrant soup.

Although Hu Liena was also distracted by the aroma, seeing Ning Rongrong's discomfiture, she still maintained her haughty demeanor and immediately voiced her support:
"That's right! Rongrong, ignore him!"

"It's obviously just bluffing! What's the use of smelling good? It might taste weird! We're not drinking it!"

She deliberately raised her voice, as if she were trying to persuade Ning Rongrong, or perhaps to encourage herself.

Dai Chengfeng looked at the two girls who were so concerned about saving face that they suffered for it, and he found it extremely amusing.

He picked up a clean bowl, filled it to the brim with soup. The broth was thick and white, and the mushrooms and meat slices were plentiful.

Then, he walked straight to Zhu Zhuqing, who had been standing quietly to the side, her eyes filled with expectation but she had not spoken a word.

"Zhuqing, here you go."

Dai Chengfeng handed over the bowl, his tone gentle and natural, "Try it and see if it suits your taste."

Zhu Zhuqing was slightly taken aback, seemingly not expecting Dai Chengfeng to give it to her first.

She glanced at Hu Liena and Ning Rongrong beside her, whose expressions instantly became complicated, hesitated for a moment, then reached out and took it, whispering:

"Thank you."

She imitated Dai Chengfeng, gently blew on it, and then took a small sip.

The moment the soup entered her mouth, Zhu Zhuqing's cool eyes visibly brightened.

Although she was aloof and rarely showed her emotions, the slightly faster swallowing motion and the barely concealed hint of satisfaction in her eyes and brows clearly indicated—

This soup is delicious.

"tastes good."

She offered her concise evaluation, then lowered her head and took a sip, demonstrating her utmost approval through her actions. This time, Ning Rongrong and Hu Liena were completely taken aback.

Ning Rongrong watched Zhu Zhuqing clearly engrossed in the delicious food, and then looked at the soup in the pot that was decreasing at a visible rate. She was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.

She tugged at Hu Liena's sleeve: "Sister Nana...look at Zhu Qing...it looks really delicious...the pot is almost empty!"

Hu Liena forced a smile and squeezed out through gritted teeth, "Hmph! Zhu Qing has a good personality, he just doesn't want to hurt his feelings!"

"We...we must have backbone!"

Dai Chengfeng almost burst out laughing when he heard them whispering.

As he poured himself another half bowl, he deliberately muttered to himself in a volume loud enough for everyone to hear:
"Sigh, Zhuqing is still the best. She's always so quiet and doesn't doubt or stir up trouble. That's how trust is built."

"Unlike some people who kept saying they wouldn't eat it from beginning to end, but now they're just watching longingly. Why bother?"

These words were like two small knives, precisely piercing Ning Rongrong and Hu Liena's hearts.

"Humph!"

Hearing Dai Chengfeng's words, Hu Liena snorted and still refused to admit her mistake.

But Ning Rongrong...

Looking at the dwindling amount of soup left, her pitiful "backbone" was completely overwhelmed.

She no longer cared about saving face, rushed forward, grabbed Dai Chengfeng's arm, and shook it like a spoiled kitten, her voice soft and sweet, full of flattery:
"Dai Chengfeng~ Brother Dai~ Brother Chengfeng! I was wrong! I was really wrong!"

"Your soup smells the best, the best in the whole world! Please give me a bowl, just one bowl! Please~"

"Please~"

"Look how cute I am, how can you bear to let me watch you drink?"

As she spoke, she blinked her big, bright eyes and made a pitiful expression, displaying excellent acting skills.

Dai Chengfeng got goosebumps on his arms from Ning Rongrong's sudden display of coquetry, but he was secretly delighted.

He suppressed a laugh, feigning seriousness as he looked down at the koala hanging on his arm:
"Oh? Now you know you were wrong? Weren't you being quite tough just now?"

"I'm not tough anymore! I'm not tough anymore!"

Ning Rongrong shook her head vigorously, "My toughness crumbles before Brother Chengfeng's delicious food! From now on, I'll never go against your wishes! Give me some soup!"

Seeing Ning Rongrong's shameless surrender, Dai Chengfeng finally couldn't help but laugh.

He only meant to tease them, so he wouldn't actually refuse to give her a drink.

He reached out and gently flicked Ning Rongrong's smooth forehead: "Alright, alright, stop with that."

"Bring me the bowl. I'll let you off this time, since you seem to be admitting your mistake fairly sincerely."

"Yay! Brother Chengfeng is the best!"

Ning Rongrong cheered and immediately let go, quickly fetching her bowl like a happy little butterfly, and eagerly handing it to Dai Chengfeng.

Dai Chengfeng served her a full bowl, which Ning Rongrong took and eagerly drank a big mouthful, not caring that it was hot.

"Well--!"

The moment the soup touched her lips, Ning Rongrong's eyes widened, and she deliberately put on an exaggerated expression of happiness, almost to the point of fainting, to please Dai Chengfeng.

"It's so delicious! Oh my god! To find something this good to drink in the wild is pure bliss!"

Dai Chengfeng smiled.

Now, only Hu Liena remains frozen in place.

(End of this chapter)