It Turns Out, They Are the Protagonists

Ye Yu frowned as he watched the handsome young man approach.

Bai Ruoxi also frowned.

It wasn’t that she didn’t welcome Mu Zhi’an, but she’d rather he hadn’t arrived at this particular moment.

“I’m sure you overheard everything, Young Master Mu,” Ye Yu said, his dark eyes fixed intently on Mu Zhi’an. “What are your thoughts on this matter?”

He had calmed down from his initial outburst of anger.

He’d been delighted when Bai Ruoxi had invited him to the Bai Manor. But their conversation had quickly taken a turn for the worse, ending with her handing him a “letter of annulment.”

He felt deeply humiliated.

He’d treated her so well, and this was how she repaid him? By inviting him to her home just to humiliate him?

She had never mentioned breaking off their engagement before, and her attitude towards him had never been so cold. But after her encounter with Mu Zhi’an, everything had changed.

He wanted to see how Mu Zhi’an would defend her actions.

“I don’t have any grand insights, Young Master Ye, but I can understand Miss Bai’s decision,” Mu Zhi’an replied with a smile.

Ye Yu frowned, staring at him silently.

“Before we continue, I should point out something,” Mu Zhi’an said. “You and Miss Bai aren’t married. You can’t give her a letter of annulment. You can only agree to break off the engagement.”

Ye Yu’s brow furrowed.

“Is that all you came here to discuss, Young Master Mu? Such trivial matters?”

Mu Zhi’an shook his head. “Young Master Ye, you believe Miss Bai is humiliating you by breaking off your engagement here, at her manor, correct?”

Ye Yu met Mu Zhi’an’s gaze, his expression unreadable.

He couldn’t figure out what Mu Zhi’an was getting at.

“Would you feel equally humiliated if she had gone to the Ye Manor to deliver the letter?” Mu Zhi’an asked.

Ye Yu hesitated, then nodded. “Of course.”

“Then how should she have done it without humiliating you?” Mu Zhi’an countered.

So, breaking off the engagement was wrong, no matter how it was done?

Ye Yu opened his mouth to speak, but he found himself trapped by Mu Zhi’an’s logic. He remained silent.

After a moment, he asked, “Are you saying you agree with her decision, Young Master Mu?”

“Of course not. Breaking off an engagement is a serious matter,” Mu Zhi’an replied. He walked over to Bai Ruoxi, noticing her conflicted expression. “However, Miss Bai never agreed to this marriage. This engagement was arranged by your elders without your consent. Is she not allowed to pursue her own happiness?”

Ye Yu fell silent.

He felt Mu Zhi’an was twisting logic, but he couldn’t find a valid counterargument.

The engagement had been arranged by their elders without their consent.

Now that she was older and had made it clear that she didn’t want to marry him, was it wrong for her to break off the engagement?

If they viewed this from Ye Yu’s perspective, they might sympathize with him.

But from Bai Ruoxi’s perspective, she was simply rejecting a marriage she’d never wanted. What was wrong with that?

Mu Zhi’an continued, “Has Miss Bai ever indicated that she had feelings for you?”

Ye Yu’s eyes flickered, and he looked at Bai Ruoxi.

She met his gaze, her expression cold. “I’ve never had feelings for you, Young Master Ye.”

Those simple words struck Ye Yu like a blow to the chest. He stumbled backward, his composure crumbling.

He had tried so hard to win her over, enduring countless rejections.

He had always seen her as his fiancée, but she had never seen him as her fiancé.

Her attitude had always been distant and aloof.

He had assumed she treated all men her age that way, but now he realized… that wasn’t the case.

Her demeanor towards Mu Zhi’an was completely different.

Even now, as Mu Zhi’an stood beside her, her gaze kept returning to him.

“Breaking off the engagement now brings shame upon the Ye family,” Ye Yu said coldly.

“Marrying you would sacrifice Miss Bai’s happiness,” Mu Zhi’an countered.

“I can give Ruoxi happiness!” Ye Yu blurted out.

“You can’t force happiness on someone who doesn’t love you, Young Master Ye,” Mu Zhi’an replied, his smile unwavering. “You keep saying that Miss Bai is humiliating you and your family by breaking off the engagement.”

“But it’s just an engagement. If you explain the situation, make it clear that you’re not compatible, no one will gossip.”

“To be blunt, the Bai family is in decline. Their power is comparable to yours now. No one will believe that they forced you to break off the engagement. So how can you claim that this brings shame upon the Ye family?”

“You’re just angry because you can’t have her.”

Ye Yu glared at Mu Zhi’an. “Young Master Mu, if she can treat me like this, she might treat you the same way one day.”

“That’s not your concern, Young Master Ye.” Mu Zhi’an chuckled. “Is there anything else? I have some matters to discuss with Ruoxi. If you’re done, please leave.”

He turned to Bai Ruoxi, smiling. “Miss Bai, would you mind if we chatted for a bit?”

Bai Ruoxi nodded, her gaze downcast.

Her demeanor towards him was a stark contrast to her coldness towards Ye Yu.

“Let’s go inside,” Mu Zhi’an said, heading towards the main hall.

Ye Yu watched them go, his fists clenching. He glared at Mu Zhi’an’s retreating figure. “Young Master Mu, I challenge you to a duel!”

Bai Ruoxi frowned, her patience wearing thin. She was about to intervene.

Mu Zhi’an reached out and gently took her hand, silencing her.

He turned to Ye Yu and smiled. “I’m afraid I must decline.”

Ye Yu stared at him, speechless, his anger simmering.

He’s so eager… Mu Zhi’an thought to himself, amused. “How about this, Young Master Ye? Two days from now, at the Dragon Head Forest. We’ll have a private duel. Does that satisfy you?”

Bai Ruoxi’s eyes widened. She turned to Mu Zhi’an. “You don’t have to agree to this. I can handle it myself—”

Mu Zhi’an raised a hand, silencing her.

Ye Yu’s eyes lit up, his fighting spirit reignited. “Very well! Two days from now, at the Dragon Head Forest!”

He tore up the letter of annulment and turned to Bai Ruoxi, his gaze filled with resentment. “You’ll regret this, Miss Bai.”

Once he defeated Mu Zhi’an and proved his talent, she would realize who the true Chosen One was.

Despite his words, seeing Mu Zhi’an holding Bai Ruoxi’s hand filled him with a burning jealousy.

He turned and stormed away without another word.

Mu Zhi’an watched him go, a smile playing on his lips.

He was clearly desperate.

It was almost comical. With a mentality like that, he called himself the “protagonist”?

Mu Zhi’an glanced at his personal interface, at the words “Supporting Character” displayed in bold, red letters, and chuckled inwardly.

Was there something wrong with this world?

Ye Yu was nothing more than a lucky “nouveau riche” who had stumbled upon a cheat.

His actions didn’t match the image of those patient and calculating protagonists he’d read about.

But it didn’t matter. Once he dealt with Ye Yu, his status as a “Supporting Character” would surely change to “Protagonist,” right?

“Young Master Mu, is there something you wanted to discuss?” Bai Ruoxi asked, her voice drawing him back to the present.

He nodded. He glanced towards the main hall. “Is Madam Bai not at home?”

Bai Ruoxi nodded, her brow furrowed in confusion. “Are you… here to see my mother?”

Mu Zhi’an shook his head. “I just wanted to confirm something.”

Bai Ruoxi stared at him, puzzled.

“I’d like you to accompany me back to the Mu Manor, Miss Bai,” Mu Zhi’an said.

“Why?” she asked hesitantly.

“I want to show you something… interesting.”

He looked at her, his voice soft. “But you need to be prepared.”