Level Up in Martial World

"I wonder what Miss Jiang would like," Lu Zhen said with a calm tone as they walked in the backyard of the palace.

"Young Master Lu, I don't like you. I hope you will withdraw from this marriage," Jiang Xue said bluntly, her expression still indifferent.

Lu Zhen was stunned by her directness. He didn't expect Jiang Xue to be so straightforward. Still, since the marriage proposal came from the weak Jiang family, there must have been some problem they couldn't handle, or they just wanted to rely on the Lu family. Either way, they needed something, so they came to the Lu family for the marriage proposal.

"Alright, Miss Jiang. As a matter of fact, I also don't like this marriage, so I will notify Jiang Lao about your withdrawal from the marriage," Lu Zhen said with an honest tone, as if he really wanted to withdraw from the marriage.

Jiang Xue was stunned, and for the first time, a worried expression appeared on her cold face, making her even more beautiful.

"No, wait, Young Master Lu, I hope you will say that you want to withdraw, not me," Jiang Xue said with a worried expression.

Lu Zhen didn't expect the girl to be so shameless. She wanted to withdraw from the marriage, but she wanted him to withdraw first, as if to save face or avoid taking responsibility for her decision. It was clear that she was trying to manipulate the situation in her favor.

Still, Lu Zhen respectfully said, "Miss Jiang, your family was the one to propose the marriage, and now…"

"Yes, I am being shameless, Young Master, but I hope you understand my situation. I really don't want to get married. I have ambitions and goals which have not been fulfilled."

"Alright, Miss Jiang, since you are so adamant about it, let's say we don't like each other."

Lu Zhen secretly sneered in his heart. This Jiang family was really something. He didn't expect the father to already consider him a son-in-law, but the daughter was adamant about breaking the marriage. Either way, Lu Zhen didn't care; after all, he was determined to pursue this woman, by hook or crook. so he cooked up a plan in his head.

"However, Miss Jiang, it might be a little inappropriate if we simply say that we don't like each other without any evidence. How about we go to a restaurant and spend some time together? After a while, we can convincingly tell them that we truly don't like each other," Lu Zhen suggested, with a poker face.

Jiang Xue was a little hesitant, but after contemplating for a while, she agreed.

"Prepare the carriage, Yu Bai."

"Yes, young master."

Yu Bai responded respectfully as he prepared the carriage.

Lu Zhen sat in the carriage and, like a gentleman, gently helped Jiang Xue to sit beside him by guiding her into the carriage with his hand. Her tender hands, with silk-like smooth skin, made him reluctant to let go, but he eventually released her hand.

As she got closer to Lu Zhen, the alluring aroma of orchids wafted into his nose, captivating him with its fragrance. He couldn't help but be drawn to the enchanting scent.

He also guided his little maid, Lily, to sit opposite them.

"Start the carriage, Old Yu, and bring us to the Golden Restaurant," Lu Zhen instructed.

The Golden Restaurant was the best establishment in the city, and it was one of the properties owned by the Lu family. As one of the four major families in Phoenix City, the Lu family had business interests in various sectors, but their most renowned business was in the restaurant industry.

As the carriage moved slowly, Lu Zhen, Jiang Xue, and Little Lily sat quietly. The atmosphere was somewhat tense and awkward, as none of them were enthusiastic about the arranged meeting.

Lu Zhen observed Jiang Xue for a moment before deciding to break the ice. "Miss Jiang, I wonder what dishes you like."

"I like dumplings," Jiang Xue replied simply.

"Oh, I also like dumplings, Miss Jiang. It looks like we have a lot in common," Lu Zhen said, attempting to start a casual conversation and ease the tension.

Although Jiang Xue was initially hesitant, she eventually warmed up to the conversation, and the atmosphere became less uncomfortable. Lu Zhen led the conversation in a friendly way with his sense of humor.

Soon Lu Zhen's effort bore fruit as Jiang Xue started opening up to Lu Zhen. They started conversing happily while laughing.

Little Lily's eyes narrowed slightly as she observed Lu Zhen and Jiang Xue engaged in conversation. A pout formed on her adorable face, and her cheeks seemed to puff up like a balloon, making her look even cuter. Her usual lively demeanor was momentarily overshadowed by a tinge of insecurity and a feeling of being left out.

As Lu Zhen's personal servant since childhood, Little Lily knew her place, but she couldn't help feeling a deep connection to him. She had become wholly dependent on Lu Zhen, and he was her everything.

In the past, Lu Zhen had always been distant from other females, except for her and his mother. However, now she noticed a change in him as he began to flirt and interact with other women. It brought her happiness to see him opening up, but at the same time, a twinge of jealousy nagged at her heart.

As countless emotions swirled deep down in Little Lily, she tried her best to hide her feelings and maintain a calm facade.

Meanwhile, in a remote corner of the street, six men dressed in black ninja attire anxiously awaited their next move. The leader of the group wore an elephant mask, while his subordinates donned monkey masks on their faces.

"We have been given orders to assassinate the young miss of the Jiang family," the leader said in a grim tone as he closed the black scroll. Suddenly, the black scroll lit up with fire, and in an instant, it disappeared without leaving any trace behind.

"But what about the young master of the Lu family?" asked another figure with the same dress but wearing a monkey mask. His voice was filled with respect, clearly indicating that he was a subordinate.

"Monkey number 3, don't kill the young master," the leader replied after a brief pause. "If he gets in the way, you can kill him."

Upon hearing this, a glint of murderous intent flashed in the eyes of the person with the monkey mask. He was one of five individuals in the group wearing monkey masks and black ninja-like attire, and all of them exuded a chilling aura.