Ye Yu frowned as he observed the handsome young man, Mu Zhian, approaching him. Bai Ruoxi also displayed a slight frown. It wasn't that they were unwelcoming towards Mu Zhian, but rather that his presence felt inappropriate at such a critical moment.
"Master Mu must have heard what was said outside just now. Do you have any unique insights on this matter?" Ye Yu's dark eyes bore into Mu Zhian, who had managed to calm down from his earlier anger. Ye Yu had been pleased when Bai Ruoxi invited him to the Bai Mansion, but that joy quickly turned to humiliation when she presented him with a "letter of divorce." Ye Yu felt deeply insulted; after all, he had treated her well in the past, only to be humiliated by her invitation.
Bai Ruoxi had never previously mentioned breaking off their engagement, and her attitude toward him had always been warm. However, since her interactions with Mu Zhian began, she had grown noticeably colder. Ye Yu suspected that her desire to end the engagement stemmed from her attraction to Mu Zhian. He was curious to hear what reasoning Mu Zhian would provide in defense of Bai Ruoxi's decision.
"I have no good opinions, but I do understand Miss Bai," Mu Zhian replied with a smile. Ye Yu continued to frown, silently scrutinizing Mu Zhian.
"Before we proceed, I want to clarify something," Mu Zhian said. "You and Miss Bai are not married, so you cannot issue a divorce letter. You can only agree to her breaking off the engagement." Ye Yu's frown deepened.
"Did you come here just to engage in these trivial matters, Master Mu?" Mu Zhian shook his head, maintaining his smile. "Master Ye, I want to ask you: Do you believe Miss Bai invited you to her home today solely to humiliate you by asking to break off the engagement?"
Ye Yu remained silent, unsure of Mu Zhian's intent. "If she had gone to the Ye family and presented you with a letter to break off the engagement, would you also feel humiliated?" Mu Zhian pressed on. After a moment of contemplation, Ye Yu nodded in agreement. "Of course."
"Then tell me, what can I do to avoid humiliating you?" Mu Zhian countered. Ye Yu opened his mouth to respond but found himself at a loss for words, ultimately choosing silence.
"Does Master Mu believe breaking off the engagement is justified?" Ye Yu finally asked.
"Breaking off the engagement is clearly wrong," Mu Zhian stated as he walked closer to Bai Ruoxi, observing her complex expression. "However, Miss Bai has never consented to this marriage. It was arranged by her elders, and now she wishes to pursue her own happiness. Isn't that her right?"
Ye Yu fell silent, realizing that Mu Zhian's argument, although skewed, held some validity. The marriage had been arranged without considering the wishes of either party. Now that Bai Ruoxi had expressed her disinterest, was it wrong for her to seek to cancel the engagement?
Mu Zhian continued, "Did Miss Bai ever make it clear that she doesn't like you?" Ye Yu's gaze shifted to Bai Ruoxi, who looked up and coldly stated, "I have never liked Mr. Ye from the beginning." This simple declaration shattered Ye Yu's composure, causing him to stagger back.
Despite having treated Bai Ruoxi as his fiancée, he now realized that she had never reciprocated those feelings. Initially, he believed her cold demeanor was simply her way with all young men, but it became clear that her attitude towards Mu Zhian was markedly different.
"If we cancel the engagement now, it will be a loss for the Ye family," Ye Yu said coldly.
"If I marry you now, I would be sacrificing Miss Bai's future happiness," Mu Zhian replied.
"I can make Ruoxi happy!" Ye Yu retorted almost instinctively.
"However much you give to someone you don't love, they won't be happy," Mu Zhian maintained his calm demeanor. "You claim that Miss Bai's decision to break off the engagement is a slap in the face to you and the Ye family. But if you explain the situation clearly, no one will gossip excessively. The Bai family is currently in decline, and their strength is comparable to that of the Ye family. No one will think the Bai family forced the Ye family into this decision."
"You are merely angry because you lust after her and received the breakup letter," Mu Zhian concluded.
Ye Yu's eyes narrowed as he glared at Mu Zhian. "Master Mu, if she can treat me this way now, she may do the same to you in the future."
"I don't need to worry about that, Master Ye," Mu Zhian replied with a smile. "Is there anything else? I have matters to discuss with Ruoxi. If not, please take your leave."
Turning to Bai Ruoxi, Mu Zhian asked, "Miss Bai, may we chat later?" She lowered her eyes and softly replied, "Hmm."
"Then let's go inside," Mu Zhian said, leading the way to the hall. Watching this unfold, Ye Yu clenched his fists, raising his head to confront Mu Zhian. "Young Master Mu, do you dare to compete with me?"
Bai Ruoxi frowned slightly, feeling bored and about to speak when Mu Zhian suddenly reached out, gently grasping her cold, soft hand, signaling her to remain silent. He then turned to Ye Yu and said, "I don't dare."
Ye Yu felt a surge of anger but struggled to express it. After a moment, Mu Zhian smiled and suggested, "Let's have a private competition in the Dragon Head Forest in two days. Does that satisfy you, Master Ye?"
Bai Ruoxi was startled and quickly interjected, "You don't have to promise him; I can handle this myself."
Mu Zhian raised his hand slightly, signaling for her to stop speaking. Ye Yu, rekindled with determination, nodded. "Okay! We'll meet at the Dragon Head Forest in two days!"
After tearing up the divorce document, he turned to Bai Ruoxi, anger in his eyes.
"Miss Bai, you will definitely regret what you did today." He believed that once he defeated Mu Zhian, Bai Ruoxi would see his true worth.
Despite his words, as he witnessed Mu Zhian gently holding Bai Ruoxi's hand, jealousy ignited within him. He chose to remain silent and left the scene.
Mu Zhian watched Ye Yu depart, an amused smile appearing on his face. The other man's anxiety was palpable. Reflecting on the situation, Mu Zhian found it amusing. With such a mindset, could Ye Yu truly be considered a "protagonist"? He chuckled to himself, glancing at the personal interface only he could see, where the words "Supporting Role" appeared in bold black and red letters. Was something amiss? Ye Yu seemed more like a "nouveau riche" who had stumbled upon a "gold finger" than a typical protagonist known for their patience.
Yet, Mu Zhian dismissed these thoughts, believing that after dealing with Ye Yu, he would take the place of the "protagonist" on that interface.
At that moment, a reserved and clear voice interrupted his thoughts. "Master Mu, do you have something to say to me?"
He nodded slightly, glancing at the hall. "Is Mrs. Bai not at home?"
Bai Ruoxi nodded, looking puzzled. "Master Mu is here to see my mother...?"
Mu Zhian shook his head, smiling. "I'm here to confirm something."
Bai Ruoxi remained confused as Mu Zhian continued, "I would like to ask Miss Bai to accompany me back to Mu's house."
She hesitated, questioning, "What for?"
"To show you something interesting," Mu Zhian replied, noticing her confusion. "But you must be mentally prepared."