"Break-off engagement genre is a type of genre in web novels, popularized by Qi Transformation, but due to overuse, it has led to reader fatigue and is rarely seen nowadays."
Fang Zhou never imagined that after transmigrating, he too would become the protagonist of a break-off engagement saga, experiencing a classic break-off engagement.
It's just that, damn it, the gender is all wrong!
"You want to break off the engagement?! What did the Xiao Family do wrong?"
A furious shout jolted Fang Zhou from his contemplation.
Standing before him was a tall and beautiful young girl, dressed in a deep green outfit, staring at Fang Zhou with eyes full of anger.
At the moment, Fang Zhou was in a spacious and bright hall, with many people either sitting or standing on both sides, displaying various expressions, mostly women.
Seated at the center of the hall was a charming middle-aged woman, also glaring at Fang Zhou with an unfriendly look.
And behind Fang Zhou stood several women, with Fang Zhou at the forefront, vaguely forming a group, confronting the middle-aged woman and the girl in green.
This was a melodramatic story—coming over to break off an engagement.
It was him, a straight man made of steel, coming to break off an engagement with a pretty girl who had both looks and body.
Damn, am I a gay?
Or was it that I was bitten by a dog before transmigration and became a forever single, a curse that didn't disappear even after transmigration?
Under the young girl's scolding, Fang Zhou had nothing to say, with whispers and buzzing sounds surrounding him like incessant flies.
Suddenly, a tall and beautiful woman in a moon-white outfit stepped forward from behind Fang Zhou, placed her hands on Fang Zhou's shoulders, and said with a gentle smile, "Leave it to your Senior Sister."
Li Ruyu, a disciple of Xuanji Sect, the current Senior Sister of this body, and the support for daring to come here to break off the engagement.
Li Ruyu looked towards the middle-aged woman and the girl in green, her smile receding, "That's right, my Junior Brother Fang is here to break off the engagement today. He has joined our Xuanji Sect, no longer a common mortal, and your engagement with the Xiao Family should be null and void. If you understand reason, swiftly cancel the marriage contract and foster a good relationship with our Xuanji Sect."
Though her tone was gentle, Li Ruyu's demeanor was aloof, immediately angering the girl in green.
She gritted her teeth and said, "Xuanji Sect is really something, isn't it? To openly come here and break off an engagement, where do you put my Wu City Xiao Family's face?"
"Wu City Xiao Family, huh."
Li Ruyu let out a dismissive snicker, "Your Xiao Family indeed has some reputation around Wu City, but after all, you're merely commoners. What right do you have to talk about face in front of our Xuanji Sect?"
The girl in green glared, "You!!"
"Enough, Yan'er."
As soon as the middle-aged woman spoke, the entire hall instantly quieted down, silence so profound you could hear a pin drop.
Li Ruyu fearlessly met the middle-aged woman's gaze, yet secretly remained cautious.
With the sect behind her, Li Ruyu wasn't worried, but the Xiao Family had some tricks up their sleeves, and this family head, Xiao Zhan, was one of the strongest in Wu City, not to be underestimated.
Yet Xiao Zhan turned to Fang Zhou, speaking in a deep voice, "Fang Zhou, my Xiao Family and your Fang Family have been friends for generations, and the marriage between you and Yan'er was personally arranged by your grandmother. Her death hasn't even been three years, and now your Fang Family dares to go against the elder's last wishes. You really have the guts. I'm asking you one more time, do you really want to break off the engagement?"
By the end of it, her tone was fierce, her Phoenix eyes filled with wrath.
No, I don't want to!
This girl to be broken off with, Xiao Yan, has been an exceptional talent since childhood, reputed to be Wu City's once-in-a-century genius. But for some unknown reason three years ago, she became useless and became the subject of mockery.
Look, everyone look, this damn protagonist's privileges are about to blind the dogs, why would I offend her?
Fang Zhou really wanted to say this, but he had just transmigrated, and breaking off the engagement was already inevitable, with the initiative taken by the Fang Family and Xuanji Sect—he had no say in it.
Actually, he thought both the Fang Family and Xuanji Sect were stubborn. Why break off the engagement? Just get married now, enter the bridal chamber tonight, infuse Xiao Yan with soul, and then go to Xuanji Sect to train. How wonderful would that be?
But of course, he couldn't say this out loud, for he would definitely be killed on the spot.
Suddenly, Li Ruyu took Fang Zhou's hand tenderly and said softly, "Don't worry about her threats, Junior Brother, you are now with the Xuanji Sect, no one can harm you, your Senior Sister will protect you."
Holding the delicate hand, a fleeting thought rose in Fang Zhou's mind; meeting Li Ruyu's eyes, he seemed to see intense passion in them.
Yes, intense passion.
"A kind of naked desire to strip him bare, skin and bones included, and swallow him whole."
"Damn, isn't this woman crazily infatuated?!"
Fang Zhou was startled, and the fantasy in his mind disappeared instantly; he tried to pull his hand back, but Li Ruyu held it tight.
The green-clad girl Xiao Yan saw her not-yet-married fiancé, hand in hand and deeply gazing into the eyes of another woman publicly, and immediately, her eyes turned green with fury, her hair seemingly changing to match her dress.
"No need to ask him anymore, my lady mother."
Xiao Yan, fueled by anger, moved aside, quickly wrote something down with a brush, then stormed up to Fang Zhou and threw it at him.
Fang Zhou caught it instinctively, only to see a big "Divorce" character written on it.
Xiao Yan pointed at Fang Zhou and roared, "I, Xiao Yan, divorce you, Fang Zhou! From this moment, you are no longer my fiancé, and there shall be no ties between us. However, the humiliation you brought upon Xiao Family today, I, Xiao Yan, will remember, and in three years, I will personally visit Xuanji Sect to seek your advice!"
Oh crap, still managed to make an enemy of the protagonist, and even triggered a duel scenario.
Fang Zhou was weary in his heart, but he wasn't too worried, at worst, he could just admit defeat in the future, lie down, and let you do as you please.
Xiao Yan's words earned applause from everyone present, and Xiao Zhan also showed a face full of approval.
On Fang Zhou's side, it was as if he was playing the role of a villain who had just been slapped in the face.
The infatuated senior sister leaned close to Fang Zhou's ear and whispered softly, "Junior Brother, do you need your senior sister to step in and teach her a lesson?"
She knew that for a man to be divorced and kicked out by his wife could be quite humiliating and challenging for remarriage.
Nevertheless, Fang Zhou shook his head, "No, thanks. The deeper the offense now, the more energy it would take to resolve in the future, and I fear being completely drained."
Li Ruyu then bowed to Xiao Zhan, lightly smiling, "Leader Xiao, until we meet again. Fang Family is now in charge of procurement for Xuanji Sect, I hope Xiao Family can support us."
This statement was both an announcement that Fang Family had been taken under Xuanji Sect's wing, and a warning to Xiao Family as well.
Xiao Zhan's face darkened, and he slammed down on the tea table, "Show them out!"
Fang Zhou suddenly felt something uncomfortably amiss, like a person with OCD spotting asymmetry.
Just as everyone was about to leave the Xiao residence, Xiao Yan suddenly spoke, "Fang Zhou, now that you've climbed onto a high branch, don't think you've become a Phoenix. Let me give you some advice, 'Thirty years on the east side of the river, thirty years on the west, don't bully a poor maiden.'"
Yes, that's it, I knew something was missing—it was this famous line.
Fang Zhou felt relief in his heart, smiling and waving goodbye to Xiao Yan as if he was not there for a divorce but merely stopping by after lunch.
Xiao Yan paused briefly, her mind possibly racing, and her face contorted, "That's too much!"
...
Leaving the Xiao residence and stepping outside, Li Ruyu helped Fang Zhou into the carriage.
Before boarding the carriage, she seemed to touch Fang Zhou's bottom, or perhaps not.
Fang Zhou stiffened, turned his head to look, only to see Li Ruyu smiling warmly, "What is it, Junior Brother?"
Fang Zhou shook his head, maybe it was an illusion?
After he climbed into the carriage, Li Ruyu placed her hand in front of her nose, took a deep sniff, her face enraptured.
"The fragrance of a virgin, even better than fine wine."
Aboard the carriage, Fang Zhou faintly heard Li Ruyu's muttered words, and his entire being cracked open.
Li Ruyu and several women with longswords mounted on tall horses, while Fang Zhou sat in the carriage.
The carriage was pink and fragrant, previously exclusive to his original self, filled with youthful, or rather, youthful male vibes.
Inside, two frail boys waited, who upon seeing Fang Zhou board, greeted him in delicate voices, "Young Master, you're back."
Fang Zhou's scalp tingled, although these two boys looked delicate and tender, the overly effeminate demeanor triggered a strong physical discomfort in Fang Zhou.
These two boys were Fang Zhou's personal male servants, their hair braided into loops and dressed in skirt-like clothing, their faces lightly powdered.
The two servants intended to help Fang Zhou tidy his appearance but were stopped by him.
Suppressing any signs of disgust, Fang Zhou washed his face and retired to lie down by himself.