Chapter Four: Breaking Off the Engagement

"Who is Li Mu?"

At the forefront, a tall, young, and beautiful woman asked.

"It's me!" Li Mu responded.

From the tone in the woman's voice, Li Mu sensed that her visit today was not for a good reason. He immediately retorted, "And who are you?"

"My name is Qiao Ruowei, from the Qiao family!"

"That's right, the Qiao family in Yun City with assets worth over a hundred million!"

"I'm here today, naturally, because of this marriage contract!"

Qiao Ruowei coldly produced a marriage certificate.

Yang Suying had been somewhat confused by Qiao Ruowei’s self-introduction, but when she saw the marriage certificate, she immediately realized that this must be one of Li Mu’s fiancées.

"Miss, you’re one of Xiao Mu’s fiancées, right? Don’t worry, although our family isn’t wealthy, if Xiao Mu ever dares to bully you, just tell me. We’ll help teach him a good lesson!" Yang Suying said kindly.

However, Qiao Ruowei took a step back, her voice icy. "Who wants to be his fiancée? I, Qiao Ruowei, am one of the top beauties in Yun City. My suitors stretch from Yun City all the way abroad. How could Li Mu possibly be worthy of being my fiancé?"

She then turned her gaze to Li Mu. Seeing his disheveled and shabby appearance, the disdain on her face grew even more obvious.

Her future husband had to be either extraordinarily talented or wield immense power. At worst, he would be immensely wealthy.

But definitely not someone like Li Mu with such a poor and shabby look.

"Li Mu, to be honest, I came here today to break off the engagement!" Qiao Ruowei said coldly.

"Break off the engagement?" Li Mu’s eyes narrowed, his voice low.

"What? You won’t agree? Still dreaming that a mere marriage contract can help you climb into the prestigious Qiao family?"

"Today, I, Qiao Ruowei, am definitely breaking off this engagement. After all, a pheasant can never match a phoenix!" Qiao Ruowei sneered.

"Did your elders know you were coming to break off the engagement? Your family owes a favor to my master, so this engagement was arranged to settle that debt. Who gave you the audacity to come and break off the engagement on your own?” Li Mu said coldly.

The marriage contract arranged by his master was not acquired through trickery or force.

It was exchanged through a great opportunity and the backing of their powerful family.

Before he finished, Qiao Ruowei scoffed disdainfully:

"What favor? To me, it’s just petty kindness. I even think your master was just putting on a show!"

"Your master might have deceived my family, but he won’t fool me!"

"Anyone of my suitors is a thousand times better than you. I advise you to face reality and stop dreaming of a toad trying to eat a swan, or you’ll only humiliate yourself!"

Qiao Ruowei’s words utterly belittled Li Mu.

"Enough! Our family might be poor, but we don’t have the habit of ingratiating ourselves or climbing social ladders! And Xiao Mu is a good boy!" Yang Suying, infuriated by Qiao Ruowei’s insults, shouted in defense.

She could understand the girl wanting to break off the engagement—after all, their family was truly poor—but the way she insulted her son was unbearable.

Li Chengyang’s expression darkened as he retorted, "We Li family may be poor, but our ambitions are not! And my son has excellent medical skills; he’s not without prospects!"

At that moment, a middle-aged man behind Qiao Ruowei sneered, "Medical skills? Claiming to have good medical skills in front of the Sun family of Nancheng? Ridiculous!"

"Our ancestor, the Sun Medicine King, passed down medical skills for generations. Countless nobles have begged the Sun family for help!"

"It’s laughable that Li Mu’s master used petty favors to force the Sun family into an engagement. Today, the Sun family also wants to break off the engagement!"

Others began to speak up as well.

"I’m from the Lu family of Shicheng, the head of the Lu family here, and I’m also here to break off the engagement!"

"The Zhang family of Ancheng wants to break off the engagement too!"

"The Xu family of Chucheng as well!"

"Add the Zhao family from Shencheng!"

One voice after another rang out. Seven families had marriage contracts with Li Mu, and six of them sent representatives to break off the engagements, with Qiao Ruowei coming in person.

Everyone looked at Li Mu with contempt.

Their families all had powerful backgrounds. How could a mere commoner like Li Mu be worthy of marrying their precious daughters?

These people usually lived lives of privilege, exuding an imposing presence. Now, standing together, Yang Suying and Li Chengyang both turned pale.

Qiao Ruowei and the others mockingly looked at Yang Suying and Li Chengyang, knowing that ordinary people rarely could withstand their aura. Most would embarrass themselves.

"A bunch of ungrateful scoundrels, yet you dare come here to break off the engagement?"

Li Mu suddenly bellowed, stepping forward to stand before his parents. A profound, overwhelming aura surged from him like a mighty torrent, filling the sky.

The once smug crowd felt as if a towering mountain pressed down on them, leaving them gasping for breath.

But that was not all. What truly infuriated them was Li Mu’s words.

"Li Mu, what do you mean by that? Are you going to fight us to the end and refuse to break off the engagements?" Qiao Ruowei snarled.

Li Mu sneered, "Break off? Of course, I will!"

"Because you ungrateful ingrates don’t deserve to enter the Li family!"

"But it won’t be you breaking off with me. I’m the one breaking off with you!"

Li Mu’s voice thundered like a bolt of lightning exploding in their ears.

"Now, get out of here!"

He flicked his sleeve, his fierce gaze blazing.

Qiao Ruowei and the others dared not meet his eyes. Their legs trembled uncontrollably as they retreated, all leaving the courtyard.

As soon as they stepped out, everyone suddenly felt weak in their legs and collapsed onto the ground, utterly humiliated.

Only then did Qiao Ruowei belatedly realize what had just happened. Anger overcame her fear as she roared at Li Mu:

"Li Mu, how dare you treat me like this? Don’t you know that the Qiao family could crush you with a single finger?"

Li Mu stood at the door, coldly saying, "Nonsense!"

Qiao Ruowei expected Li Mu to be terrified, to kneel and beg for mercy, but his calm and indifferent demeanor only infuriated her more.

"Li Mu, what good is your tough talk?"

"No woman will ever want to marry you! Give up on that idea!"

"Hahaha!"

Just then, a woman arrived fashionably late and stepped forward.

"You won’t marry into my family!"

"The Jiang family of Yun City is willing to honor the engagement."

The newcomer was none other than Jiang Wan.

Li Mu looked at Jiang Wan in surprise—wasn't she the woman from this morning?

He hadn’t asked her name then, but now he realized she was from the Jiang family.

In other words, she was one of his fiancées.

Jiang Wan also recognized Li Mu and looked displeased, as if fate had played a cruel joke on her.

Seeing Li Mu’s face, Jiang Wan couldn’t help but recall what had happened last night, her cheeks flushing slightly.

Qiao Ruowei’s previously arrogant expression stiffened as she questioned, "Jiang Wan, do you mean to deliberately go against me?"

Both were renowned beauties in Yun City and naturally knew each other.

"I'm merely honoring the marriage contract. That’s called keeping one’s word—nothing to do with going against you," Jiang Wan replied calmly.

That same indifferent attitude! Just like Li Mu’s earlier.

This infuriated Qiao Ruowei further: "Fine, fine, you’re so high and mighty. Since you’re willing to honor the contract, I won’t stop you. But soon, all of Yun City will know that Jiang Wan has a worthless husband!"

With those final harsh words, Qiao Ruowei turned and left.

She found Li Mu too sinister and no longer wanted to stay a second longer.

The others also got up and left—their task of breaking off the engagements was complete.

After everyone had gone, only Li Mu and Jiang Wan remained, and the atmosphere grew awkward.

"Um, last night was really about detoxification!" Li Mu was the first to speak, trying to explain.

"Shut up! Don’t mention last night again!"

Jiang Wan’s face flushed as she threatened fiercely.

Though the threat held no real weight for Li Mu, he found her a little endearing.

Suppressing her inner discomfort, Jiang Wan stepped forward and grabbed Li Mu’s arm. "Come with me!"

"Where to?" Li Mu asked, standing still, puzzled.

"Where else? To the civil affairs bureau to register the marriage, of course!" Jiang Wan said impatiently.

Li Mu was stunned. "Wait, you’re serious?"

Jiang Wan shot back, "Huh? Did you think I was joking?"

Li Mu waved his hands repeatedly. "No, no, it’s just... don’t you think this is a bit too fast?"

Jiang Wan sneered, "Too fast? What should be done and what shouldn’t has already been done!"

Li Mu looked sheepish.

"Why are you still dithering? Hurry up and come with me!" Jiang Wan said, annoyed.

"Well, going to the civil affairs bureau won’t do any good—I don’t have my household registration booklet!" Li Mu shrugged helplessly.

He had just returned after five years in the mountains and had long lost his booklet.

At that moment, Yang Suying suddenly rushed out of the courtyard, hurriedly thrusting a small booklet into Li Mu's arms, winking at him.

"Your household registration booklet is here!"

Li Mu stood dumbfounded, feeling both amused and helpless.