Breaking Off the Engagement at My Door? Could I Be Protagonist Material?

Riiing.

"Class is over. Thank you for your hard work, teacher."

As the bell rang, students began filing out of the classroom.

Li Yao slowly woke from his dream, his head still fuzzy.

"Why does the bell sound just like the one in my previous life?"

Li Yao rubbed his brow, trying to clear his head.

That afternoon, he had been exploring the system's functions and checking whether he could exchange anything for a boost to his strength.

Somewhere along the way, he had fallen asleep without realizing it.

"Ahh!"

Li Yao stretched.

"Hey, Uncle Wenbin, where are you? Pick me up and let's head back."

Li Yao took out his phone and called Li Wenbin.

Before long, bzz, bzz, bzz...

Li Yao rode in Li Wenbin's car toward Li Family Manor.

The streets flashed past the window. Leaning back in his seat, Li Yao was still thinking about all the good things in the system shop.

"Young master, we're here."

Li Wenbin stopped the car outside a grand residence.

Li Yao looked out. Several luxury cars were parked at the entrance to the estate, all brands he had never seen before.

"Guests tonight?"

"Yes. I think they're from the Shangguan Family," Li Wenbin said. "They've been here a while."

Li Yao raised an eyebrow.

The Shangguan Family? The one guarding the Western Territory?

He followed Li Wenbin into the estate. As soon as they passed through the gates, he saw the main hall ablaze with light and heard voices inside.

Li Yao walked in and immediately spotted his parents in the seats of honor. A middle-aged couple sat beside them.

The man had a square face and an imposing air. The woman was well-preserved; one look told him she lived comfortably.

A young woman stood beside them. Her long hair fell over her shoulders, and her face was delicate, but her eyes were cold. She looked at people as though they were something filthy.

What are they doing here? Li Yao wondered.

"Dad, Mom." Li Yao greeted his parents first, then turned to the middle-aged couple. "Uncle Shangguan, Aunt Qing."

Shangguan Yun gave a curt acknowledgment, his expression somewhat cold.

Seeing her son return, Sun Zhiyun hurried to her feet and pulled him over. "Yao'er, you're back. Good timing. Your Uncle Shangguan and Aunt Qing are here. Come, sit down."

His mother pressed Li Yao into a chair. He was still a little bewildered.

What's going on?

Sun Zhiyun leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Yao'er, your grandfather once arranged a marriage with the Shangguan Family. The bride is their daughter, Shangguan Yan. That girl over there."

Li Yao's eyes went wide.

An arranged marriage? For me?

He looked at Shangguan Yan. She swept him with a glance that made him feel like trash.

What the hell is going on?

Sun Zhiyun continued, "Back then, the head of the Shangguan Family was a squad leader under your grandfather. Your grandfather promoted him, and only then did he climb step by step until his family became a top Great Family. Grateful for your grandfather's kindness, he begged to arrange this marriage."

After hearing that, Li Yao had only one thought: Isn't this just an old-fashioned arranged marriage?

He was considering how to respond when Shangguan Yun suddenly spoke.

"Li Yao's back? Good. The Shangguan Family came today because there's something we want to discuss."

Shangguan Yun paused. His warm, conversational tone turned icy. "We want to dissolve the marriage agreement with the Li Family."

The entire hall fell silent.

Sun Zhiyun's expression changed at once. "Brother Shangguan, what did you say?"

"I said we want to dissolve the marriage agreement."

Shangguan Yun repeated himself. "My daughter already has someone she loves. She doesn't wish to waste Young Master Li's time."

Li Yao raised an eyebrow and looked at Shangguan Yan.

Shangguan Yan curled her lip. "Li Yao, I've heard all about you. Imperial Capital University's most notorious lovesick lapdog. You chased that girl Yang Xiaoran for three years, and you wouldn't even fight back when she hit you."

She spoke as though describing something revolting. "This works out perfectly. Once the engagement is broken, you can grovel after whoever you like. From then on, you take your narrow plank bridge, and I'll take my broad, sunlit road. The Shangguan Family has no interest in this marriage."

They came to my door to break off the engagement? Could I be protagonist material?

Li Yao couldn't help thinking of that old saying: thirty years east of the river, thirty years west—never look down on a poor young man.

But it didn't quite fit. For Li Yao, three days east of the river and three days west was more like it.

Truthfully, Li Yao didn't mind the broken engagement. The original Li Yao really had been a lovesick lapdog, and the whole university knew it.

But what had Shangguan Yan meant by that last line, "The Shangguan Family has no interest in this marriage"?

She looks down on the Li Family?

Li Yao was about to speak when a ding sounded in his head.

"Ding! Broken engagement detected. Side quest triggered: defend the Lineage's honor."

"Quest reward: 20,000 Background Value."

Li Yao's eyes lit up.

Twenty thousand points? They're practically handing them to me.

He gave a cold laugh and spoke slowly. "The Shangguan Family? If I remember right, your grandfather was only a squad leader under mine. You climbed to where you are today on the Li Family's back. What, now that your wings are strong, you want to fly off and start your own house?"

Shangguan Yun's expression darkened at once.

Shangguan Yan's sneer only deepened. "That was the older generation's business. What does it have to do with us? Li Yao, aren't you ashamed to bring up your ancestors' achievements?"

"Ashamed?" Li Yao laughed. "Some people eat their fill and curse the cook, forgetting who gave them their rice bowl."

"You!"

Shangguan Yan's face flushed with anger.

Li Yao remained unhurried. He turned to Li Wenbin. "Uncle, call Grandfather. Tell him the Shangguan Family wants to break off the engagement and called our Li Family a worthless Great Family while they were at it."

Shangguan Yan's expression shifted.

Shangguan Yun was about to speak, but Li Yao had already taken the phone Li Wenbin handed him.

Just as he was about to dial, someone took the phone from his hand.

Li Yao turned and met Li Zhiyun's expressionless face.

"There's no need to trouble your grandfather over something so minor."

Li Zhiyun's voice was flat, betraying no emotion at all.

He turned back and looked directly at Shangguan Yun and the two women.

"Shangguan Yun, do you know what you're doing?"

The pressure of a Martial Emperor burst forth.

Shangguan Yun was crushed beneath it, unable even to straighten his back.

"Li Zhiyun! Are you trying to start a war between the Li Family and the Shangguan Family?"

Though pinned down completely, Shangguan Yun showed no weakness in his words.

"A war?" A trace of mockery entered Li Zhiyun's level voice. "With you? You think you're worthy?"

As he spoke, he intensified the pressure, enveloping Shangguan Yan and Qing Yinyin as well.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Three impacts rang out as all three collapsed to the floor, unable to withstand Li Zhiyun's pressure.

"Li! Zhi! Yun!"

Shangguan Yun's voice was full of fury.

But he couldn't even lift his head.

"Shangguan Yun, weren't you so capable? Breaking off the engagement? Slapping the Li Family in the face? Did you think I'd just take it? Stand up and speak to me. Understood?"

"Zhiyun." Sun Zhiyun tugged at Li Zhiyun's arm. "Let it go. If they want to break off the engagement, let them. Our Yao'er simply wasn't fated for this marriage. The border is in turmoil, and we need to go help Father soon."