Let's split the narrative and tell each side.
On the other side.
Liam sat in the carriage, boredly watching the scenery outside, and sighed:
"At this speed, it will be very late by the time we get back to Soto City today, and there won't be time to find Yu Xiaogang."
Hu Liena chuckled:
"What's there to it? We'll go find him whenever we get back. It's not like we're inviting him for dinner, so why care about the time?"
Liam looked at Hu Liena and muttered, "Killing is just a nod of the head; even death row inmates get a last meal. Disturbing someone's sleep is extremely impolite!"
"Is that so?"
Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan looked at Liam somewhat strangely, their eyes seemingly asking: Were the two of you polite last night?
Hu Liena blushed slightly.
Liam's expression stiffened, and he grumbled, "A day apart feels like three years. It seems you two are quite bold now!"
As he spoke.
Liam directly sat opposite them, wrapping an arm around Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan each, reaching out to start tickling them!
"Oh dear! You're so annoying."
"Liam, don't... don't... stop..."
The carriage continued to gallop on the main road. There was a burst of playful teasing inside the carriage, while behind them, the Phoenix-Tailed Crested Serpent, dragging its round body, chased desperately, its two wings flapping like oars.
Late at night.
The group finally rushed back to Soto City.
Soto City Spirit Hall Branch.
Huo Wu stood outside the main gate waiting with Spirit Kite Douluo, muttering discontentedly:
"It's so late, and those rascals still aren't back..."
Ling Yuan frowned and looked at Huo Wu, saying in a somewhat serious tone:
"Girl, when you face Liam and Nana later, you better control your fiery temper."
"Although Nana hasn't returned to Spirit City for her investiture yet, she is already the Holy Maiden of the Spirit Hall. If she disciplines you, I have no right to stop her."
Huo Wu pouted. Seeing Ling Yuan's serious expression, she didn't dare to fool around with her anymore.
Clatter, clatter, clatter—!
A sound of hooves echoed throughout the street in the quiet night.
Ling Yuan and Huo Wu turned their heads to look together, only to see a carriage in the darkness gradually approaching from the shadows, followed closely by a large snake nearly twenty meters long, its body bloated like a ball.
"They're here."
"Remember this: don't reveal the diary duplicate, don't act childish with them, be respectful, polite, and courteous. Otherwise, you won't have to wait for Nana to act, I'll deal with you first!"
Ling Yuan warned again, pulled Huo Wu back inside the gate, and waited until Liam and his group reached the entrance before coming out again with Huo Wu, feigning a look of surprise.
"Nana?"
"Oh, it really is you who's returned."
As soon as Hu Liena got out of the carriage with Liam, she looked surprised upon seeing Spirit Kite Douluo and said:
"Aunt Ling Yuan, why are you here?"
Hmm?
And there's a beautiful girl in red with red hair following along. What's she doing here?
Wait.
Could it be that both of them have the diary duplicate and came specifically to find Liam?
Liam glanced at Ling Yuan and Huo Wu and immediately recognized these two beautiful women, one large and one small.
The beautiful mature woman who doesn't steal the spotlight.
The feisty and overbearing Huo Wu.
Ling Yuan spoke:
"I heard from Qian Renxue that you were here, so I made a special trip to Soto City to see if I could meet you."
"It's like this, the girl next to me is called Huo Wu. She's the daughter of a friend of mine. Because her personality was spoiled too much in his Blazing Academy, he specifically asked me to take her to Spirit Hall Academy for discipline."
"I was originally going to take her back directly, but I got a new mission, so I made a detour to Soto City. If you were here, I would hand her over to you to take her to Spirit City. If you weren't, I would have to send her back first."
Hu Liena, Ye Lingling, and Dugu Yan were certain in their hearts upon hearing this! These really were women who possessed the diary duplicate.
Although Ling Yuan's reason was plausible, they knew that this was just something said for Liam to hear.
Huo Wu.
The woman who didn't get a reward on the first day because she had no story...
"Huo Wu, quickly greet your elder sisters." Ling Yuan glared at Huo Wu impatiently. If she wasn't her friend's daughter, she wouldn't care what her personality was like.
A couple of beatings would fix it.
Huo Wu heard this, looked at Hu Liena and the other two, and called out:
"Hello, three elder sisters!"
Hu Liena nodded slightly and said to Ling Yuan:
"Aunt Ling Yuan, this is my boyfriend Liam, and these two are my younger sisters, Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan."
Liam looked at Ling Yuan and showed a polite smile:
"Hello, Your Majesty."
Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan also stood up and called out:
"Greetings, Your Majesty."
Ling Yuan smiled and nodded, saying, "Since he's Nana's boyfriend, then you don't need to be so formal with me. Just call me older sister!"
Huh?
Hu Liena was a little confused. I call you Aunt... and you're telling them to call you older sister?
Liam nodded and didn't say much more. He turned and instructed Hu Liena, "Send someone to find an open space for Wealth to rest, order people to guard it, and don't allow anyone to approach."
"Let's go inside and talk!"
Hu Liena nodded, and the group walked into the Spirit Hall Branch.
Huo Wu kept following alongside them, her eyes occasionally glancing at Liam. There was curiosity, excitement, and shyness. This man was truly mysteriously captivating!
Dugu Yan glanced from the side and happened to notice that Huo Wu had been looking at Liam. She chuckled softly and said:
"Handsome, isn't he?... He's my man!"
"You..."
Huo Wu immediately clenched her fists. This damned snake spirit, what are you so smug about?
At the same time.
Shrek Academy.
Xiao Wu said with a face full of worry:
"Zhu Zhuqing, Liam and the others arrived in just one afternoon when they went, so why haven't they come back so late?"
"He wouldn't not come to find Yu Xiaogang, would he?"
Ning Rongrong also muttered, "It's almost time to issue the rewards now, what's going on with this scoundrel Liam? Could it be that he's afraid of Yu Xiaogang?"
"Ptooey, ptooey!"
"Although Yu Xiaogang's previous words sounded real, Hu Liena might be afraid of him, but Liam shouldn't be afraid of him, right?"
Zhu Zhuqing looked at the two of them and said, "According to what we read before, Liam will definitely come. As for whether he's afraid of Yu Xiaogang, that's impossible!"
"He even bullied a protagonist like Tang San, so would he be afraid of a waste like Yu Xiaogang?"
"I guess he was a bit slow by something. He will definitely come tomorrow, and by then, Shrek will likely face a disaster, including us!"
"Why?"
Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong asked, puzzled.
Zhu Zhuqing said with a serious expression:
"Before, Yu Xiaogang wasn't coming, and Liam was just playing tricks on everyone at most. Now that Yu Xiaogang is coming, he's naturally had enough fun."
"Our chance is also tomorrow. If we can't seize this opportunity and can't leave Shrek with Liam, I'm afraid... no, that's not right!"
"I just hope Hu Liena doesn't make a move tomorrow. Otherwise, once Hu Liena's strength is exposed, tomorrow will truly be our last chance."