C6 He Said He Was Dead

"I don't know; he claimed he was dead," Xiao Ge said with a glum expression.

"He claimed he was dead?" Qin Ruoxi's brows knit together in confusion. How could that be? If he was dead, how could he still talk?

"He left me a letter, saying he knew his end was near and instructed me to seek you out. He even went so far as to dig his own grave, claiming he buried himself. Whether he's actually dead, I have no idea," Xiao Ge said, his frustration evident. "I thought about digging up the grave to check, but if he's really in there... that wouldn't be right. I can't just go around digging up graves. But honestly, I'm almost certain he faked his death to escape."

Qin Ruoxi gave a slight nod, understanding the situation with Xiao Ge's master. She too suspected that his master had feigned death.

After a brief contemplation, Qin Ruoxi inquired, "Xiao Ge, could you explain why you're so intent on calling off your engagement with Yaya?"

"The old saying goes, marriage is the grave of youth..." Xiao Ge started to say.

But Qin Feiya cut him off with a look of scorn, "Illiterate! It's love that marriage is the grave of, not youth!"

"Is it really youth if it's devoid of love?" Xiao Ge countered boldly. "Look, I'm just nineteen, in the prime of my youth. How could I possibly bury it in a grave? That's why the engagement has to be called off!"

With that, Xiao Ge turned to Qin Ruoxi with hopeful eyes. "So, Ms. Ruoxi, if my master has 'died,' we might as well treat it as if he truly has. That means I can decide on the engagement myself, right?"

"Xiao Ge, if your master has indeed passed away, then your engagement is his last wish. Do you really want to defy that?" Qin Ruoxi shook her head gently. "I trust you won't go against your master's final desires, and I can't either. I simply cannot consent to canceling the engagement."

Xiao Ge felt a wave of discouragement wash over him. It seemed the engagement wasn't going to be easy to dissolve after all.

"Xiao Ge, I understand you don't know Yaya well yet, but that's okay. You're both young and there's plenty of time to get to know each other," Qin Ruoxi reassured him. "A month ago, your master sent me a letter. I've been expecting you and have prepared a room. You'll be staying with us from now on, and I've also arranged for your studies at Ningcheng University. You and Yaya will attend school together and come home together after classes."

"Mom, I refuse to live with him!" Qin Feiya declared with frustration.

"Don't flatter yourself; I have no desire to live with you either," Xiao Ge retorted, glancing at Qin Feiya. Despite his resolve, he felt a twinge of temptation—he genuinely wanted to live with Qin Ruoxi. However, to annul the engagement, he had to fight against this allure and maintain his distance from Qin Feiya.

Turning to Qin Ruoxi, Xiao Ge added, "Ms. Ruoxi, I have a dorm at Ningcheng University, so I won't be moving in with you."

"Okay, I won't insist. But I'll keep your room ready. Whenever you decide, it's yours to come back to," Qin Ruoxi replied after a moment's thought, nodding in agreement.

"If you're not keen on calling off the engagement, then I'll take my leave," Xiao Ge remarked, before spinning on his heel and striding away.

"Who says I don't want to call it off?" Qin Feiya protested vehemently, but it was too late. Xiao Ge was already out of earshot, quickly disappearing around a corner hundreds of meters away, vanishing from her view.

"This is infuriating! Who does he think he is, trying to break off an engagement with me? I never said I wanted to end things with him!" Qin Feiya fumed. She had been the belle of the ball since kindergarten, with little boys sweetening her up with lollipops to win her over. Over the years, countless suitors had pursued her, and she had always been the one to turn them down. Yet today, Xiao Ge dared to initiate a break-up with her—this was utterly preposterous!

"Yaya, let's head home," Qin Ruoxi suggested softly, her eyes betraying a hint of bewilderment. Clearly, she too was puzzled as to why Xiao Ge would want to break off the engagement with her beloved daughter.

"Mom, who exactly is that jerk Xiao Ge's master? What were you thinking agreeing to an engagement with him?" Qin Feiya demanded, still seething.

"His master..." Qin Ruoxi hesitated briefly before continuing, "is named Tang Men."

"What?" Qin Feiya gasped in surprise. "Tang Men? The same Tang Men from the Shu region I've read about in novels?"

"No," Qin Ruoxi shook her head, "His master's surname is Tang, and he goes by the name 'Door.'"

"Is that even possible?" Qin Feiya was taken aback. Was Tang Men actually someone's name?

With a faint smile, Qin Ruoxi clarified, "So, he wasn't lying to you. He truly is a disciple of Tang Men—the disciple of Tang Men."

Qin Feiya was at a loss for words. That's what being a disciple of Tang Men meant!

Meanwhile, Xiao Ge had finally stepped through the gates of Ningcheng University.

"Not being able to break off the engagement is seriously bumming me out," Xiao Ge mumbled to himself, ending with a sigh, "It's indeed a long and arduous journey ahead."

It was September 9th, a Monday. Ningcheng University's freshmen had an early start, beginning their academic year in mid-August, and their military training had already concluded.

Xiao Ge had spent several hours finalizing his enrollment at Ningcheng University—a plan his master had set in motion long before. He was now officially a freshman in the Chinese Literature department.

As the afternoon swiftly transitioned into evening, darkness enveloped the campus, and the streetlights flickered on. Xiao Ge crossed the sports field and headed directly to the faculty dormitory, home to the teachers who hadn't managed to buy their own houses.

The faculty dormitory towered over Ningcheng University as its tallest structure and the sole building equipped with an elevator. Whether it was the student dormitories, the academic and administrative buildings, or even the library, none exceeded seven stories.

This staff dormitory, however, stood modestly taller at eleven stories. Any taller, and it risked dwarfing its surroundings, potentially drawing the ire of students' parents.

Xiao Ge strode into the building, rode the elevator to the sixth floor, and paused at the door of Room 601.

Key in hand, he was about to unlock his door when the neighboring Room 602 burst open, and a young woman emerged.

Dressed in a white short-sleeved blouse paired with a knee-length black pencil skirt, cinched at the waist with a white belt, she cut a striking figure. Despite having recently encountered the refined elegance of Qin Ruoxi, Xiao Ge couldn't help but be dazzled by the beauty before him.

Upon noticing Xiao Ge, the young beauty paused briefly before inquiring, "Student Xiao Ge, did you need something from me?"