Jiang Qing’e was silent for a moment. “Honestly, my first reaction is to say – a seventeen-year-old kid like you shouldn’t put on such worldly airs. But, I have to admit that you do speak some sense. However, I have no interest in any other men at all. As for you – at least I don’t find you repulsive.”

Li Luo let out a bitter chuckle. “Big sister Qing, the main reason you set up this engagement was to show your grat.i.tude to my parents. I’m sure that your feelings towards them are much stronger than any feelings you might have towards me. But… I really have no need for this form of ‘grat.i.tude’.”

Li Luo lowered his head. He said in a slow voice, “I know that it isn’t going to be easy to get you to annul this engagement, but…” He raised his head to stare directly into her eyes. “I hope that you will give me, and yourself, a chance.”

Li Luo paused a moment, then continued. “Let’s do a trade. I’m not strong enough to manage our House, and so in the interim you have taken over on my behalf. One day, however, I will take back control. If on that day, you are able to return to me a House that is more-or-less as strong and prosperous as the one you took over, then as my way of showing grat.i.tude, I will ‘grant’ you freedom from this engagement. Deal?”

Jiang Qing’e did not immediately respond. For a long, silent moment, she tapped her long, slender white fingers on the table in a rhythmic manner. Finally, she said in a soft voice, “Li Luo. Do you really dislike me that much?”

Li Luo was startled. He took a deep breath, then said, “Jiang Qing’e, I think you may have underestimated your attractiveness and your appeal. Your beauty and your charisma is enough to cause anyone of our age to be instantly smitten with you. If I claimed to have no interest in you at all, then I would be lying to both myself as well as to you.”

“But. This is not the type of engagement I want, or need.”

Jiang Qing’e raised an eyebrow, then suddenly smacked the table with one dainty hand.

Crack! The sudden sound jolted Li Luo, causing him to quickly sidle backwards. “Hey, let’s keep it civilized! No need to resort to violence.”

Jiang Qing’e rolled her eyes at him, then said calmly, “Li Luo, it’s been a while since we’ve met. Clearly, you’ve become a bit more eloquent since then. I agree that your words have some merit. Fine. We can treat this as a trade. Once you are ready to a.s.sume control over House Luolan, I’ll be sure to hand it over in a healthy, intact state. At that time, you can annul our engagement.”

Li Luo was speechless, then let out a long sigh. He instantly felt as though he had been relieved of a heavy burden. However – in the deepest part of his heart, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of inexplicable loss. He cursed at himself for feeling this. The h.e.l.l is wrong with you?

“Your little speech today has caused me to look upon you in a new light. It seems you are no longer a little boy.”

Li Luo was irritated. “Little boy? There’s nothing little about me.”

Jiang Qing’e ignored his words. She gaze at him with an enigmatic half-smile, then continued, “But, Li Luo… I do have to give you a little reminder. Are you absolutely sure you want to enter this deal with me? Once our engagement is off – I suspect that you will never, ever have a chance to get it back.”

Li Luo narrowed his eyes, then leaned forward with both hands pressed to the desk and stared directly at Jiang Qing’e. Their faces were less than a foot apart. “Jiang Qing’e, I really have no interest in this type of ‘engagement’ – because in the future, I intend for you to personally hand me an engagement agreement, rather than hand my parents one.”

Jiang Qing’e stared right back into Li Luo’s handsome face with her golden eyes, the amus.e.m.e.nt on her face growing stronger. She knew exactly what Li Luo meant. The reason why he wanted to annul this marriage agreement was because as of right now, she had no interest in him as a man. If in the future, she once more proposed to be engaged to him, it would only be because she had fallen for him.

“Sit your b.u.t.t down.” Her red lips quivered. Suddenly, an invisible force appeared out of nowhere and pressed Li Luo back into seat with enough force to cause him to let out an involuntary squawk.

Just like that, all of his posturing had been wiped away.

Jiang Qing’e rested a hand on her fragrant cheeks, then cast Li Luo a rather lazy look. “You don’t have a lot of skills, but you sure have a lot of guts. I’ve encountered many geniuses in recent years, but none of them ever dared to speak to me like this. Li Luo – don’t let your reach exceed your grasp by too much. Your goal is completely unrealistic. But – if you really want to give it a shot, I’ll give you a chance.”

Her golden pupils suddenly glowed with a mysterious, inscrutable light. “I’ll wait for you at the Astral Sage College. This is your first step. If you can’t even accomplish this, then let’s both just forget about what you said today. We’ll chalk it up as being the words of a rebellious youth.”

This time, Li Luo didn’t interrupt. He leaned back against the carriage window as he slowly closed his eyes. He said in a calm voice, “Then just wait for me there.”

Jiang Qing’e turned her gaze out the window. As she watched their carriage move past the various buildings, a stray ray of sunlight sparkled across her golden eyes. The tiniest of smiles appeared on her face, filled with a rare look of softness.

After they had traveled for a long period of time, Li Luo suddenly opened his eyes. Rather puzzled, he said, “This isn’t the way home.”

Jiang Qing’e gently nodded, then said quietly, “We’re going to pay a visit to the Golden Dragon Bank. There’s something we need to pick up there.”

She turned her golden gaze towards Li Luo. “Before Master and Mistress left, they prepared something for you. They said that you were only to open it up after you reached the age of seventeen.”

Li Luo was speechless. His heart shook. Mom, Dad… you left something behind for me?

1. These stages come from the Tales of the Water Margin/Suikoden; there were 108 legendary heroes, who were divided into the 36 ‘heavenly dippers’ and the 72 ‘earthly fiends’.