Join Tang San and Get Xiao Wu

Ning Rongrong puffed up her cheeks in frustration, her adorable face brimming with indignation. 

"Let me go! I'm not riding with you anymore!" 

She spoke in a huff, though there were no spare horses, making her words purely out of anger. 

Meng Bei understood this perfectly. Instead of letting her go, he tightened his hold on her, refusing to release her. 

"Rongrong, I can't let you ride another horse. What if you get hurt again?" 

"That would be better than you bullying me!" 

Rongrong retorted angrily, attempting to pry Meng Bei's arm away. However, his grip was unexpectedly strong, and she couldn't budge him. 

Meng Bei leaned closer to her face, his expression turning slightly serious as he warned: 

"Rongrong, don't struggle, or else…" 

"What? What will you do?" Ning Rongrong challenged, defiant. 

"Smack!" Meng Bei suddenly kissed her cheek. 

Rongrong froze in shock for a second or two, forgetting to even resist. 

When she regained her senses, her voice lowered into an angry hiss. 

"Meng Bei, are you crazy? How dare you do that to me!" 

Still holding her securely, Meng Bei whispered mischievously in her ear: 

"That's right, so don't bring up getting off the horse again—or I'll kiss you again." 

"You wouldn't dare!" 

Rongrong's face flushed as she fumed. 

"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan won't let you off if they find out!" 

Meng Bei, unfazed, chuckled. 

"If that's the case, I'd better kiss you while I still have the chance." 

"Wait! That's not what I meant!" Ning Rongrong quickly retracted her words, fully convinced that Meng Bei would follow through. 

---

The group rode on, their Rampaging Hoof Horses proving their worth by covering nearly a thousand li (about 300 miles) by noon. The group stopped to rest. 

Ning Rongrong immediately jumped off the horse, glaring at Meng Bei with her flushed face. 

"I'm not talking to you anymore!" 

She stormed off to sit beside Xiao Wu. 

Meng Bei could only shake his head in exasperation. 

Fatty grinned as he sidled up, gloating. 

"What happened, Meng Bei? Did things fall apart?" 

Meng Bei punched him lightly in response. 

"No comment!" 

Fatty's grin widened, confident he had hit the mark. Even Tang San approached, offering advice as if he were some love guru, leaving Meng Bei both amused and annoyed. 

Meanwhile, Ning Rongrong appeared to be chatting with Xiao Wu, but her gaze frequently darted toward Meng Bei. 

She was waiting for him to come over and apologize. Her plan was to act reserved at first and then graciously forgive him. 

Back in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, whenever she threw a tantrum, people would always rush to appease her—even if she had been in the wrong. 

And this time, she was clearly in the right! Meng Bei had to work hard to earn her forgiveness. 

But much to her surprise, Meng Bei didn't seem to pick up on her signals. He made no move to approach her. 

---

"How could this be?" she thought, growing flustered. "After bullying me, is he really not going to come and apologize?" 

The group had a simple meal, fed the horses, and continued their journey. 

As everyone mounted up, Ning Rongrong noticed that Meng Bei still hadn't approached her. Panic began to set in. 

**"Is that scoundrel waiting for me to go to him?"** 

But she couldn't bring herself to do it. She had declared she wouldn't speak to him again. 

**"Ugh! So annoying!"** 

Just as she was about to give in, she noticed Meng Bei riding toward her. Delighted, she quickly retracted her steps and adopted a cool, aloof demeanor, tilting her chin up with an indignant expression. 

Meng Bei rode up to her, his horse kneeling obediently. He reached out his hand, smiling warmly. 

"Rongrong, don't be mad. I was wrong earlier. Let's continue riding together, okay?" 

Ning Rongrong felt a surge of triumph. 

**"I knew it! He'd come and beg for forgiveness!"** 

Still, she needed to maintain her pride. 

"Hmph, no way. I told you I wouldn't talk to you anymore. I've already decided to ride with Xiao Wu. You can go!" 

She turned her head away, pretending to be angry. In truth, she hadn't arranged anything with Xiao Wu and was simply waiting for Meng Bei to coax her further. 

She thought two more sentences of pleading would be enough for her to forgive him. 

But to her shock, Meng Bei didn't push further. He signaled his horse to rise. 

"Looks like I overestimated myself. I'm sorry. I'll leave you to it." 

Without hesitation, he turned his horse and rode away. 

It was a classic case of "playing hard to get"—an old trick, but one that worked brilliantly. 

---

"Wait! Don't go!" 

Before she could react, Meng Bei had already ridden off. 

Ning Rongrong stood there, stunned, with Xiao Wu smirking smugly beside her. 

Filled with regret, she thought, **"Why did I make it so difficult for him? He already apologized…"** 

But now, she could only stew in her frustration. 

---

"Xiao Wu…" 

Rongrong looked to Xiao Wu with a pleading expression. 

Xiao Wu, understanding her intent, promptly pulled her onto her horse to share a ride. 

Xiao Wu didn't mind helping Rongrong—but she wasn't entirely sure why. 

Somehow, seeing Meng Bei and Ning Rongrong apart brought her a strange sense of satisfaction. 

In her heart, Xiao Wu thought, **"If I don't help Rongrong, she might go back to Meng Bei. And if they make up, I wouldn't like that one bit."** 

Though Xiao Wu didn't harbor romantic feelings for Meng Bei, she hated the idea of someone else claiming what she felt was hers. 

---

The group continued their journey toward the Extreme North, making steady progress. 

Over the next three days, Ning Rongrong didn't get the chance to reconcile with Meng Bei. Every time she tried, Meng Bei happened to be chatting with Xiao Wu. 

As siblings, their conversations were innocent, but Ning Rongrong couldn't bring herself to approach him in Xiao Wu's presence. 

---

On the fourth morning, a chill in the air signaled their proximity to the Extreme North. 

The group donned thick clothing in preparation for the freezing temperatures ahead. 

Noticing that Ning Rongrong wasn't adequately dressed, Meng Bei retrieved a few warm coats and approached her. 

He hesitated for a moment before speaking. 

"Uh, here…" 

Before he could finish, Xiao Wu snatched the coats and thanked him cheerfully. 

"Thanks, Meng Bei!"