Chapter 94: Chapter 92: Unremovable (Edited)_1
A sudden and unexpected phrase kept echoing in Liu Qianqian's ears, and her gaze became vacant; no matter what, her brain's nerves couldn't believe that such a phrase had come from Fang Ren's mouth.
Fang Ren himself was also taken aback, thinking, how could he have blurted out his innermost thoughts like that? This was... so awkward!
"I mean, what I meant was..."
Liu Qianqian threw a punch at Fang Ren's arm, fuming, "How can you even ask such a question?"
"I just... slipped out," Fang Ren said, his face a picture of conflicted emotions.
"Slipped out! I'll show you slipped out!"
As Liu Qianqian spoke, she launched a barrage of combination punches at Fang Ren, not forgetting to scold him as she swung, "I haven't been in love once since I was born! And you ask me this! Are you pig-brained?"
After a flurry of punches, Liu Qianqian, filled with rage, stalked off into the distance, not caring in the least about the unusual stares from many students around her, occasionally looking back to shout at Fang Ren, "I don't want to see you again!" and the like.
Fang Ren stood there, dumbfounded. He had only wanted to confirm something about Liu Qianqian's physical constitution, so how had things taken such a strange turn as soon as he opened his mouth?
However, he did admit that the whole incident had originated from his blunder, so he accepted the beating without complaint.
Back at the base of his dormitory building, Fang Ren sent a message to Liu Qianqian, asking her to help him bring down his quilt and the like, but Liu Qianqian simply replied: Go squeeze with your buddies!
With no other choice, Fang Ren had to spend the night squeezed in a bed with two other grown men in the dorm.
In the middle of the night, the energetic young men started teasing Fang Ren relentlessly.
"Ranzi, if the girl is already Xuan Nv, then what on earth is your Uncle Han's true identity? He's her dad, after all!" Li Xingwang chimed in.
"Exactly! Her dad has got to be some big-shot character, and what's your story? The father of Xuan Nv has been raising you for over twenty years!" Jing Haichuan added.
"You're asking me? I have no idea either," Fang Ren said helplessly. He genuinely didn't know Uncle Han's identity; all he knew was that Uncle Han seemed to be quite renowned in The Ninth War Zone.
As for his own identity, Fang Ren didn't recognize himself as the so-called young master of the Fang Family. He was just a child raised by Uncle Han. As for his biological parents, he was open to acknowledging any debts of gratitude but not to recognizing them as family.
"Are you for real, man? You have no idea what Uncle Han's true identity is?"
"Why would I lie to you guys? I didn't even know about Qing'er's identity before."
"Man, your uncle has really kept a deep secret. Were you a savior of the Milky Way in your past life? How did you end up with an uncle like that, even managing to have Xuan Nv as your girlfriend?"
"He's just an old man," Fang Ren downplayed.
"Hey, hey, hey, Ranzi, how did you suddenly develop a Spiritual Root and manage to beat up last year's provincial third place in such a short time?"
...
The group of men chatted away through the night, and since Fang Ren had just broken through to the Yuanxin Realm, he was in high spirits and kept on chatting with them about this and that endlessly.
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Meanwhile, in the backyard of the Tianjiang Bai Family,
Under a sky dotted with stars, a silver-haired old man in military uniform was sitting in a Taishi Chair, his head upturned and eyes closed, seemingly enjoying himself immensely.
"Grandpa!"
Suddenly, a woman wearing a white dress rushed into the courtyard, her pretty face full of ire.
The white-haired old man in military uniform slowly opened his eyes and looked at the girl in the white dress with a kind smile, "What's wrong, Qi'er? Who has angered you this time?"
Bai Qi said with a face full of huff, "It's all because of you, Grandpa."
The white-haired old man in military uniform named Bai Chaojin could only be referred to as Grandpa by Bai Qi; he was the retired old family head of the Bai Family.
"Oh?" Bai Chaojin chuckled, "How have I managed to upset Qi'er?"
"It's about my marriage arrangement," Bai Qi frowned and said, "Everyone in the family, dad, mom, uncles, and aunts, they all disagree with the cancellation of my marriage arrangement. Moreover, Fang Ren already has someone he likes, he won't marry me."
"Did Qi'er go to call off the engagement?" Bai Chaojin asked.
"Yes, I only found Fang Ren today, I want to break off the engagement, and he wants to as well. We've already reached a mutual agreement to call it off, but why won't the family agree? They all say it's because Grandpa disagrees." Bai Qi said angrily.
"Qi'er, this marriage can't be called off," Bai Chaojin said with a smile.
"Why not?" Bai Qi was very angry, "I don't like Fang Ren, and Fang Ren doesn't like me, so why do you insist on us getting married?"
"Qi'er, I can spoil you in many things, but not this one. You must marry him, and he must marry you. It's useless no matter who tries to call off the marriage, and it will be futile for anyone to attempt," Bai Chaojin explained.
"What?" Bai Qi grew angrier the more she listened, "Grandpa! Do you still care about me at all? I like Brother Song from the Tiandao Sword Sect, not Fang Ren."
Bai Chaojin shook his head with a chuckle, "I'm sorry, Qi'er, no amount of coaxing will change this. Song Mobei must be with Xuan Nv, and you must be with Fang Ren."
"Is it all for the sake of the so-called strongest next generation?" Bai Qi said with a pained expression.
"Of course, the child of you and Fang Ren could potentially surpass that of Xuan Nv and Song Mobei, and may even significantly outpace this great era," Bai Chaojin replied.
"But I want to be happy. Is my happiness so worthless in your eyes, Grandpa?" Bai Qi was very upset.
"Feelings can be cultivated; your current liking for Song Mobei is simply because he is so dazzling that you've taken a liking to him. Yet you don't truly understand him; such feelings are merely superficial and do not represent the love that is inherent in the happiness you seek from deep within your heart."
"Grandpa, I don't want to listen to these grand principles."
"Whether you want to hear them or not, I must say them," Bai Chaojin said with a smile, "Love is a matter of two people, whereas liking is only a matter for one. You want happiness, which is tied to love—not just a simple liking akin to unrequited love."
"Grandpa, you're twisting logic just to cajole me," Bai Qi, looking forlorn, sat down on a nearby stone bench and spoke, "Even if what I feel for Brother Song is unrequited love, what about Fang Ren and me? That would be mutual dislike. The ones we like aren't each other."
"Haven't I already explained? Two people need to spend time together to develop feelings," Bai Chaojin said, "In order for you two to have more time together, I've decided to send you to Baili University in Linyang City to interact with the Fang Family boy. Who knows, you might find that you actually like him more than Song Mobei."
"What? Grandpa, are you mistaken? Why should I go to Baili University? And you're talking about spending time together..."
"Then let's do this: if after a few years of being together there's still no affection between you two, then at that time, I'll reconsider the marriage arrangement. How about that? But for now, you must go to Baili University to take classes, and be in the same class as him."
"No, I don't want to. I intend to further my studies at the Tiandao Sword Sect. Grandpa, please stop rambling on with your love theories. We have a huge generation gap; our views on love aren't the same," Bai Qi said with a look of distress.
Bai Chaojin shook his head, "It's not negotiable. Qi'er must go. Otherwise, after this year, I'll proceed with your marriage."
"What's so great about Baili University? If I go there, my cultivation level will regress. Grandpa, please don't be so hasty. If my cultivation level becomes poor, you'll criticize me again," Bai Qi ran to his side and shook his hand, her face full of grievance.
Bai Chaojin still wore a kind smile, but suddenly, a powerful surge of True Qi erupted from him, and Bai Qi beside him passed out instantly.