Chapter 2: The Fiancée Who Doesn't Want to Break the Engagement

In Li Luo's memory, the first time he met Jiang Jiang Qinge should have been when he was about three years old.

That time, his parents seemed to have gone on a trip to somewhere very far away, and when they returned, they brought along Jiang Jiang Qinge, who was about five years old at the time.

Later, they took Jiang Jiang Qinge in as a disciple.

From this perspective, Li Luo and Jiang Jiang Qinge could be considered true childhood companions, and his parents were extremely fond of her as well.

However, the relationship between Li Luo and Jiang Jiang Qinge in their childhood was rather delicate, because Jiang Jiang Qinge had been outstanding since she was very young, and combined with the fact that she was two years older than Li Luo, the many quarrels between them as children always ended with Li Luo being coldly pinned to the ground and beaten half to death by Jiang Jiang Qinge.

It was simply a nightmare.

As for why Jiang Jiang Qinge became his fiancée, it was said that when she was about ten years old, his old man got drunk one time and said, "How wonderful it would be if little E'er were my family's daughter-in-law."

Then the very next day, the ten-year-old Jiang Jiang Qinge personally handwrote a marriage contract and handed it to his dumbfounded old man.

That time, his old man was nearly beaten silly by his old lady, who had rushed home.

Most importantly, he, who had been watching the show gleefully from the side, also got furiously beaten up by his mother.

Afterwards, his mother told Jiang Jiang Qinge to take the marriage contract back, but no one expected her to display a stubbornness that left everyone helpless—she simply knelt quietly before his father and mother.

In the end, his helpless parents had no choice but to let her have her way, but the marriage contract was taken away by them and never mentioned again, as if it didn't exist at all.

As time passed, this matter gradually faded into silence, and even Li Luo himself forgot about it.

But a few years ago, when Jiang Jiang Qinge was at South Wind Academy, a suitor became too persistent and crazy, so she directly spoke up and publicly announced that she already had a marriage contract with Li Luo.

The sensation this caused at the time could be said to have shaken the entire Tianshu Prefecture.

Fortunately, Li Luo hadn't entered South Wind Academy at the time, otherwise he really might have been attacked by everyone, but even though several years had passed, the aftermath still made Li Luo, who was now at South Wind Academy, deeply feel Jiang Jiang Qinge's charm.

"Old man, you really know how to trick your son." Li Luo sighed inwardly.

"I say, Li Luo, you stop here every day—do you really enjoy that envious gaze from everyone else?" Just as Li Luo was sighing inwardly, a girl's voice suddenly sounded from behind him.

Li Luo turned his head and saw standing behind him a pretty girl with delicate features. Her long hair reached her waist, and although her looks couldn't compare to Jiang Jiang Qinge's, she was still a budding beauty. Her fitted school uniform wrapped around her already developing figure, with quite a bit of curves.

At this moment, the girl was crossing her arms, looking at Li Luo with a slightly mocking gaze.

However, faced with her gaze, Li Luo's expression was rather calm. The girl before him was named Ti Ti Faqing, a student of the First Courtyard, and could be considered a golden flower at South Wind Academy; she also came from the Ti Fa family, one of the three great families of Tianshu Prefecture.

This Ti Ti Faqing had no grudge with Li Luo, but she was an iron-clad fan of Jiang Jiang Qinge, and an extremely crazy and irrational one at that.

In her eyes, Jiang Jiang Qinge was like a banished immortal from the heavens, perfect and flawless, and no man in this world was worthy of her—which of course included Li Luo.

Even though Ti Ti Faqing admitted that Li Luo's looks were top-tier, she felt that judging by appearance alone was far too shallow.

A girl like Jiang Jiang Qinge must be matched only by someone who is a dragon among men both inside and out.

And Li Luo, leveraging his parents' advantage, had obtained the marriage contract with Jiang Jiang Qinge through some unknown means—in Ti Ti Faqing's view, this was simply an insult to the goddess in her heart.

Therefore, ever since Li Luo entered South Wind Academy, whenever he ran into this Ti Ti Faqing, he would inevitably be met with a faceful of mockery, followed by that tirelessly repeated one question.

"Li Luo, when are you going to break off the engagement with Senior Sister Jiang?"

Hearing this question that had been repeated countless times, as expected, even Li Luo couldn't help but rub his brow and said irritably, "None of your damn business."

Then he turned and walked away.

Seeing this, Ti Ti Faqing's pretty face immediately flushed with anger, and she followed relentlessly, saying, "Li Luo, do you really think a toad can eat swan meat?"

But Li Luo still turned a deaf ear, paying her no attention, which made her so angry her face turned livid. She then quickened her pace to catch up and said, "Li Luo, if you don't break off the engagement, the only one who'll have trouble is you. The more outstanding Senior Sister Jiang is, the more trouble you'll have. Your parents have been missing for years, and even your House Luolan Mansion is now tottering in the wind and rain, so your identity as the young mansion master holds no deterrent at all."

"You have no idea how many young prodigies with powerful backgrounds and outstanding talent in the current Great Xia Kingdom are enamored with Senior Sister Jiang."

"You can't just because your parents did Senior Sister Jiang a favor, demand she repay you in this way!"

"Li Luo, if you don't break off the engagement with Senior Sister Jiang, let alone anywhere else, just within this South Wind Academy alone, people will come looking for trouble for you."

Li Luo's footsteps finally paused for a moment, and he said, "Oh? Who's looking for trouble with me?"

Ti Ti Faqing snorted lightly and said, "Bei Kun of the Bei family—you should be quite familiar with him, right? He's already made it known that he hopes you won't use the convenience of your status to get close to Senior Sister Jiang. Also, he's asked you to meet up at Clear Wind Tower in two days for a chat."

Li Luo smiled and said, "Of course I'm familiar. Back in the day, he loved coming up to me."

Back when his parents were still around, within Tianshu Prefecture, when House Luolan Mansion spoke, its words carried no less weight than the Prefectural Governor's residence. As for this Bei Kun, he would come looking for him even more often. But who could have imagined that just a few years later, House Luolan Mansion would undergo such great changes, and this once-eager-to-be-friend powerful young master would be the first to come looking for trouble?

In the past, what Bei Kun liked doing most was setting up a banquet at Clear Wind Tower, warmly and politely inviting him over. Now he actually wanted him to host a banquet there? This guy really is direct enough.

Ti Ti Faqing said, "Li Luo, don't think they're being ridiculous—that's just how the world works. When your family was powerful, naturally people flattered you. Now that your House Luolan Mansion has fallen from grace, why should anyone give you face? After all, that face you had before was earned by your parents, not by you."

Li Luo nodded and agreed, saying, "What you said actually makes sense."

The warmth of human feelings and the coldness of the world—Li Luo had experienced it firsthand these past two years.

So he didn't say much more, quickening his pace toward the outside of the academy.

And that Ti Ti Faqing followed relentlessly, chattering away like a devilish voice drilling into his ears the whole way, the central theme of all her words being the hope that Li Luo could give Jiang Jiang Qinge back her freedom.

Li Luo knew the best way to deal with this kind of person was to ignore them, so he couldn't even be bothered to say a word. Passing through corridor after corridor, he finally exited the academy.

And just as he stepped out of the academy, he suddenly felt the surrounding sounds become much quieter, even the fly-like Ti Ti Faqing beside him seeming as if her throat had been gripped.

Li Luo turned to glance at her, and then noticed Ti Ti Faqing's face flushing red, her eyes full of excitement as she gazed down the academy's stone steps.

Li Luo, as if understanding, followed her gaze and saw a carriage stopped before the steps. The carriage had an antique, elegant style, spacious yet full of noble air, pulled by four sturdy lion-horse beasts with dark red coats. On the carriage, there was a familiar crest—it was House Luolan Mansion.

And what made Ti Ti Faqing's face flush red and the nearby students show excited expressions was, of course, not just the House Luolan Mansion carriage, but the girl standing in front of it.

The girl had her long hair casually tied in a ponytail, her features delicate and composed, refracting an alluring luster in the sunset. She wore a deep blue short cape, slender long boots, and beneath her battle skirt, her long, straight, fair-skinned legs were almost mouth-watering.

Of course, what drew the most attention was still those golden pupils, as pure and dazzling as the blazing sun.

That was Jiang Jiang Qinge?!

There was some commotion and excitement outside the academy. Countless students gazed excitedly at that slender figure, never expecting that today, they would be able to see this legend who had come out of South Wind Academy.

Li Luo, amid the boiling and fervent gazes, walked down the stone steps and came before Jiang Jiang Qinge, saying with some surprise, "Sister Jiang Qinge, when did you return to South Wind City?"

Although House Luolan Mansion had started out in South Wind City, after becoming one of the four great mansions of Great Xia Kingdom, its focus had already shifted to Great Xia's capital—Great Xia City.

And after Jiang Jiang Qinge entered that most top-tier Holy Mystic Star Academy of Great Xia Kingdom, she also went to Great Xia City. Coupled with the fact that she had also been managing House Luolan Mansion these past two years, it was hard to see her return to South Wind City, and Li Luo hadn't seen her for quite some time either.

Jiang Jiang Qinge glanced at Li Luo and said coolly, "Tomorrow is your seventeenth birthday, and House Luolan Mansion also has some important matters to discuss here tomorrow."

"I just arrived in South Wind City today, so I came to pick you up on the way home."

Her voice was extremely pleasant, cool and clear, like a secluded spring in the deep mountains striking against jade.

Li Luo nodded; he was not surprised by Jiang Jiang Qinge's attitude, having known her for many years and understanding that this was simply her nature.

"Then let's go," he said. Jiang Jiang Qinge was far too popular at the South Wind Academy; standing here, one could feel the blade-like gazes from all around.

Jiang Jiang Qinge gave a slight nod of her head, but she did not turn immediately. Instead, she cast her gaze toward the excited Di Fa behind Li Luo and said, "Your name is Di Fa, correct?"

Di Fa nodded excitedly, her face flushed as she said, "Senior Sister Jiang, you actually remember me?"

Jiang Jiang Qinge said calmly, "I hope you will not harass Li Luo again. Otherwise, regarding your brother at the Holy Profound Star Academy, I might pay him special 'attention'."

The excitement on Di Fa's face instantly froze. After a long moment, under the gaze of Jiang Jiang Qinge's pair of pure golden eyes, she could only timidly nod, showing not a shred of the arrogance and bullying she had displayed before Li Luo.

After Jiang Jiang Qinge finished speaking, she turned. Her azure cape fluttered lightly, and together with Li Luo, she entered the carriage. Then, amidst a long roar from the lion-horse beast, it stepped upon mist and departed steadily into the distance.

Di Fa watched the carriage depart. Only after a long while did she rub her small face, her expression full of infatuation.

"Senior Sister Jiang is truly so cool; I absolutely love it!"

(End of this chapter)