Chapter 539 - 539: The Childhood Betrothed Is Someone Else

Jiang Xinghai and Zhao Wan'Er were still frozen to the spot.

No one could have imagined they were part of an arranged childhood marriage!

Zhao Wan'Er and Jiang Xinghai glanced at each other, their minds in turmoil.

'Their whole lives were ahead of them. Wasn't this decision a bit too rushed?'

"Then let's go look at the flowers!" Snapping out of her daze, Zhao Wan'Er shot Jiang Xinghai a glare and turned to walk out the door.

Jiang Xinghai followed her out, prompted by a nod from Zhao Wenxiang.

In the rear garden.

Zhao Wan'Er walked on with an icy expression. Jiang Xinghai tried to speak several times, but her cold demeanor made him swallow his words.

"You didn't know about this either?" Zhao Wan'Er stopped abruptly, whirling around to confront Jiang Xinghai.

Jiang Xinghai nodded, his expression troubled. "To be honest, I haven't even thought about marriage."

"So you look down on me?" Zhao Wan'Er was sharp as a tack. How could she not hear the rejection in his voice?

"Miss Zhao, you're stunningly beautiful. How could I possibly look down on you? It's just that I have many other things I must do, and I'm not in a place to think about romance," Jiang Xinghai said, his voice lacking conviction.

"So, you don't agree with this either?" Zhao Wan'Er pressed, her brows knitting together.

Jiang Xinghai shook his head grimly. "Yes."

'In his heart, he felt he had no right to even consider marriage until he found his parents and his enemies.'

"Good. I don't agree either. Come back with me to Grandpa, and we'll cancel this engagement in person." After her cool declaration, Zhao Wan'Er turned and started walking back the way they came.

Jiang Xinghai followed her all the way back to the courtyard.

"Grandpa, neither of us agrees to this marriage. Let's call off the engagement right now," Zhao Wan'Er said, walking over and tugging on Zhao Wenxiang's arm like a spoiled child.

Zhao Wenxiang's expression hardened. "Cancel the engagement?"

His gaze shifted from Zhao Wan'Er to Jiang Xinghai.

"Elder Zhao, Miss Zhao and I have discussed it. We're not a good match for each other, so it's best if we call it off," Jiang Xinghai said, feeling he had to make his stance clear.

"This...!" Zhao Wenxiang's expression grew darker by the second.

Jiang Xinghai felt indebted to Zhao Wenxiang and spoke again, "Elder Zhao—"

"Let this matter end here."

Zhao Wenxiang waved his hand dismissively and lowered his head, a look of disappointment on his face.

Then, a wry smile appeared on Zhao Wenxiang's face. "Xinghai," he said, "alright, I admit it. I was lying just now. You and Wan'Er don't have an arranged marriage."

"Huh?" Jiang Xinghai was stunned.

Zhao Wan'Er was just as baffled.

Shen Zhengye and Yu Zhuo, both of whom had been hoping to marry their own daughters to Jiang Xinghai, broke into smiles at his words.

'So Elder Zhao, this reclusive old master, was actually a mischievous old coot?'

'He'd made the whole thing up, but he'd been so convincing they'd almost believed him.'

"However," Zhao Wenxiang's expression turned surprisingly serious, "your real fiancée is in the Imperial City."

'He deeply regretted not acting decisively to arrange a marriage with Jiang Long back then!'

'Instead, the Ye Family had beaten him to it!'

It was like another bombshell dropped. Aside from Zhao Wan'Er, Jiang Xinghai and the others were stunned all over again.

"You can't be serious. I really have an arranged marriage?" Jiang Xinghai groaned, his brow furrowed in distress.

The smiles that had just appeared on the faces of Shen Zhengye and Yu Zhuo vanished, and their expressions fell once more.

"I know the marriage contract is in the wooden box your grandfather left for you. Just open it and see for yourself." Zhao Wenxiang slowly rose and patted Jiang Xinghai on the shoulder. "In fact, I suggest you go and call off the engagement."

Jiang Xinghai was baffled and couldn't help but let out a short, incredulous laugh.

'He wanted him to call off the engagement?'

'And then get engaged to Zhao Wan'Er?'

"Of course, if you like the girl, you don't have to. But I have a feeling that if she finds out you're still alive, she might be the one to propose breaking it off first. It's up to you to weigh the pros and cons."

Zhao Wenxiang didn't elaborate. He turned, lit a cigarette, and began to pace with his hands clasped behind his back.

Without a second thought, Jiang Xinghai turned and began rummaging through his storage bag.

Sure enough!

There was a letter inside!

Jiang Xinghai hadn't examined the contents closely before, so he'd missed it.

Now, upon a closer look, two large words were written on the outside of the letter: Marriage Contract!

He impatiently tore it open. Inside, it read: Jiang Xinghai and Ye Qingyou!

"The Ye Family... from the Imperial City?"

Having grown up in the Imperial City, Jiang Xinghai was no stranger to the Ye Family.

But as for Ye Qingyou, he had no memory of her at all.

"This girl lived in the mountains since she was a child. She only returned to the Imperial City the very year you disappeared. It's normal that you don't know her. But, undeniably, she is your future bride."

Zhao Wenxiang smiled faintly. "If your engagement is broken, I strongly recommend you marry my granddaughter, Wan'Er."

"Elder Zhao..." Jiang Xinghai glanced at Zhao Wan'Er.

Zhao Wan'Er squirmed and cried out, "Grandpa, I want to make my own decisions about this! I don't want to get married, and I certainly don't want to marry a stranger!"

"Wan'Er, you're being foolish!" Zhao Wenxiang said, his face a mask of anxiety.

'A late-stage Celestial Destiny Realm expert in his twenties... how many of those could there be in the entire Dragon Country?'

"Wan'Er's right. We don't know each other at all. Let's just talk about this in the future."

Jiang Xinghai used the opening to change the subject, smiling as he did. "Elder Zhao, I have a banquet to attend in half an hour, so I should get going."