Douluo Dalu: Sign in to the Flame Princess-Chapter 75 - : Zhao Ming’s Gentle Side

Support-type Spirit Masters are quite different from other combat-type Spirit Masters. Their physical fitness is only slightly better than that of ordinary people. For someone like Ning Rongrong, who had been pampered and sheltered in the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan, her physical condition was even weaker. Not to mention, her tolerance for pain was much lower.

But despite all that, Ning Rongrong persevered.

And what pushed her to keep going wasn't anything else—it was Zhao Ming.

Whenever she felt like she couldn't continue, she would imagine Zhao Ming standing next to her, taunting her, and suddenly she would be full of energy again.

Especially when she saw him lounging at the village entrance, enjoying fruits as if he had no care in the world, it gave her an extra burst of determination to keep running.

"Huff... huff..." When Ning Rongrong finally finished her last lap, her face was flushed, and her body was drenched in sweat.

It was quite a sight to behold.

However, Zhao Ming didn't have any improper thoughts. Instead, he felt a sense of admiration and relief.

"Congratulations, you did it," Zhao Ming said gently, looking at Ning Rongrong, who was squatting on the ground, panting heavily.

"Thanks to you," Ning Rongrong glanced at Zhao Ming before lowering her head again, resting her chin on her knees, too tired to move.

"Can you stand up? Don't keep your legs bent like that."

"What's wrong?" Zhao Ming asked when he noticed her pained expression.

"My feet hurt," Ning Rongrong hesitated before admitting.

"Your feet hurt?" Zhao Ming was momentarily surprised. Given how much the Bone and Sword Douluo doted on her, they probably never put her through rigorous physical training. It was only natural that Ning Rongrong wasn't used to it.

"Let me take a look." Zhao Ming sat down beside her and reached out to grab her leg.

"No!" Ning Rongrong flinched and tried to pull her leg away.

"Don't move, let me check if it's serious," Zhao Ming said firmly, gently but firmly holding her leg in place.

After a few more attempts to struggle, Ning Rongrong finally gave up.

As she watched Zhao Ming's focused expression, a feeling of grievance welled up inside her.

Stupid Zhao Ming! Why is he so mean to me earlier, but now he's being so gentle?

Feeling Zhao Ming's careful movements, Ning Rongrong's frustration began to melt away, and her eyes filled with tears.

"Don't cry, I'll be gentle. It won't hurt," Zhao Ming reassured her as he placed her leg on his lap.

He could feel the warmth of her leg, damp with sweat, but his only thoughts were of concern.

Rolling up her pant leg, he revealed her pale, delicate skin.

He then loosened the straps on her shoes and carefully removed them.

Once the shoes were off, Zhao Ming immediately understood why her feet hurt. Ning Rongrong had been wearing a pair of women's heels with a high lift at the back. Running in such shoes was bound to cause blisters.

"I'm a bit short, so I wear these..." Ning Rongrong said softly when she saw Zhao Ming looking at her shoes.

Zhao Ming glanced at her. Ning Rongrong was indeed petite, shorter than both Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing, though not by much. Wearing these shoes helped her close the height gap between them.

"Why are you staring at me? I'm not that short! Just a little bit!" Ning Rongrong huffed.

"It's fine, I don't mind," Zhao Ming said with a slight smile, then began to gently remove her soaked silk socks.

"You better not mind! I don't even mind you!" Ning Rongrong snapped back. But when her foot touched the ground, she winced in pain.

"Alright, alright. I was wrong, okay? Stop moving." Zhao Ming sighed, holding her small foot in his lap. Her toes had turned pale from being soaked in sweat, and several areas had blistered.

"I'll carry you back to the dormitory," Zhao Ming said after assessing the situation.

After a moment's hesitation, Ning Rongrong finally climbed onto Zhao Ming's back.

She was light, soft, and fragrant.

Zhao Ming grasped her legs and started walking toward the dormitory.

But after a few steps, he paused. Ning Rongrong was wearing a skirt, and by holding her legs, her skirt was hanging down, leaving her exposed.

It didn't bother Zhao Ming, but they were heading back into the academy, and he didn't want others to catch a glimpse of Ning Rongrong's private areas.

Stopping, he carefully gathered up her skirt, ensuring nothing was visible, before continuing.

Ning Rongrong noticed Zhao Ming's actions. Normally carefree, she hadn't paid attention to such details, but she wasn't stupid. When Zhao Ming adjusted her skirt, she understood what he was doing.

For the first time, she felt a sense of security.

He could be annoying sometimes, but he could also be so gentle. As she gazed at his serious expression and felt the warmth of his broad back, Ning Rongrong's heart filled with warmth. If only he weren't so mean... she mused to herself.

"Hey, when we get back, make sure to take a bath quickly. You'll catch a cold if you don't," Zhao Ming suddenly reminded her as they walked.

"Hey, are you listening to me?" Zhao Ming asked when he noticed Ning Rongrong wasn't responding. He turned his head and saw her staring off into space.

Annoyed, he smacked her on the rear, bringing her back to reality.

"Ah!" Ning Rongrong yelped, snapping out of her daze, her voice full of both embarrassment and anger.

"Zhao Ming, what was that for?"

"What were you daydreaming about? Didn't you hear me talking?" Zhao Ming chuckled.

"Huh? What did you say?" Ning Rongrong was still a bit confused.

"I said, take a bath when we get back to the dorm. Otherwise, you'll catch a cold tomorrow," Zhao Ming repeated, slightly exasperated.

"Oh." Ning Rongrong nodded from her perch on his back, though her heart felt unexpectedly warm.

Back in the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Clan, even though she was the little princess and everyone treated her with respect, few people actually cared for her in such a personal way.

In her memory, only her father, Bone Douluo, and Sword Douluo had ever shown her such genuine concern.

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