Qi Shaorong and Yi Fan walked out of the meeting room, "What's up with the Yi Family! Did they come directly to the college to make trouble now?"
Yang Man's actions really were unreasonable. Even if something had happened inside the secret dimension, they couldn't just blame it on the college.
"Yi Xun's position as the acting head of the family has been revoked [1], and the newly appointed head has already taken up the position. Rumour has it that the new acting head of the family intends to send Yi Xun's family away for punishment [2], and many of Yi Xun's people have already defected from his side. Yang Man was probably really worried, so she directly sent people to the college."
Qi Shaorong narrowed his eyes. In a big family, when the acting head stepped down, it meant that all of their trusted aides had to be replaced as well.
Yi Bing and Yi Huo's achievements had been very good in the past, so they were given preferential treatment in regards to the allocation of the Yi Family's resources. However, now that Yi Bing and Yi Huo were both wastes, naturally, the Yi Family's resources could no longer be wasted on those two wastes.
Those two brothers of Yi Fan were very proud individuals, and when they were still in power, they had offended many people! Yi Chuxue was even worse.
"The Principal seems to have discovered something." Qi Shaorong said.
Yi Fan frowned and said, "The skill levels of those people that Yang Man had sent weren't low. When I dealt with them, there inevitably would've been some magical fluctuations in the air. That might be the reason why the Principal has some suspicions."
Qi Shaorong crossed his arms and said indifferently, "It's okay, the Principal is very simple-minded, it won't be too hard to fool him."
Yi Fan: "…"
Chen Family.
Chen Yuan was lying in bed and mournfully shouted, "Zhuang Hao that jerk, I finally know what kind of person he is now."
Chen Yuan's younger sister Chen Die was standing beside the bed. She looked at Chen Yuan's bruised and battered face and laughed merrily, saying, "That's what you get for poking your nose into other people's business! Just great, you were taught a lesson by Fourth Young Master Qi inside the secret dimension, and now you've been beaten up by Zhuang Hao. Tsk tsk, Elder Brother, your life has been so tragic lately!"
Chen Yuan looked at Chen Die and said angrily, "Little Sister, just who's side are you on?"
Chen Die looked at Chen Yuan and shrugged, "Elder Brother, I really do want to be on your side! But why did you have to bully my dream lover?"
"Since when did you get another dream lover?" Chen Yuan said angrily.
"Very recently, actually. It's Qi Shaorong, you know him, he's super cool! When he had taught you a lesson, it was just like punishing a little baby chick, and he also used the strength of a level six mage to give the Qi Family's level eight mage a beating too. He really gave the Qi Family a good slap in the face. He's also a doctor, did you know! Qi Shaorong opened up a cosmetic surgery center at Tianlan College, there's a 30% discount for teachers, and a 20% discount for students. Tsk tsk, even I want to go to Tianlan College now."
Chen Yuan: "…" Qi Shaorong was a lunatic! He didn't even give any face to the Qi Family elder, he really was insolent.
"Qi Shaorong's just a bastard! That guy Zhuang Hao isn't some good thing either. I must have been crazy to go and get involved in their matters." Chen Yuan said a little resentfully.
"Elder Brother, back then, what were you even thinking?" Chen Die asked.
Chen Yuan: "…" How would he know what he was thinking back then! He must have been possessed or something.
Chen Die looked at Chen Yuan and said, "Elder Brother, what did you say to Qi Shaorong when you went to break off the engagement?"
Chen Yuan: "…" In all honesty, when he had gone to break off the engagement, he really didn't say much, Yi Chuxue was the one who spoke the entire time. He really hated that guy Zhuang Hao! Zhuang Hao was too embarrassed to go trouble Yi Chuxue, a girl, so instead he went to trouble Chen Yuan, adding on to his already bad luck.
"Qi Shaorong is so mean! When I, your Elder Brother, went to cancel the marriage, I barely even said anything, but I was still given the blame by that guy, and I didn't even manage to get any benefits from it. However, Yi Chuxue also said a lot of unpleasant things, Zhuang Hao that bastard, let's just see if he has the ability to go find trouble for Yi Chuxue! " Chen Yuan said.
"Yi Chuxue that girl, her life hasn't been going well lately." Chen Die said.
Chen Yuan pouted and said, "It really has been an eventful period for the Yi Family lately."
Chen Die nodded and said, "That's not all, did you know, one of Yi Xun's women from outside had gotten pregnant, and Yi Xun directly welcomed her into their home."
Originally, Yi Xun and Yang Mang were a very harmonious couple, so even if there were some stray flowers and grasses outside [3], they wouldn't be brought into the house, but now it was different. Yi Huo and Yi Bing had both become wastes, and Yi Xun was anxious to get an excellent heir, in order to keep his position in the family.
"The Yi Family is just a mess right now, that goes without saying. What about Qi Shaorong that guy, has he been doing well lately?" Chen Yuan said.
Chen Die nodded and said, "Of course, with Qi Shaorong's exceptional beauty, exceptional magic powers, and exceptional medical skills, his life has been great at Tianlan College."
Chen Yuan: "…"
Zhuang Family.
On the combat training grounds, Zhuang Hao caused a group of the family's guards to have a dejected and depressed appearance.
"Elder Brother." Zhuang Qian called out.
Zhuang Hao glanced at Zhuang Qian and said, "A-Qian, you came here!"
Zhuang Qian looked at Zhuang Hao and said, "Elder Brother, you haven't eaten for three days. You're not going on a hunger strike because of Qi Shaorong, are you."
Zhuang Hao punched the stone wall and said, "I haven't reached that point yet, I just don't have much of an appetite."
Zhuang Qian: "…"
"How is he?" Zhuang Hao asked.
Zhuang Qian's eyebrows raised. Although Zhuang Hao didn't mention a specific name, Zhuang Qian still knew very clearly that Zhuang Hao was referring to Qi Shaorong.
"Pretty good. Qi Shaorong opened a cosmetic surgery center at Tianlan College, and he's made a lot of beautiful women. Many of the students from Shenghuang College want to transfer schools now, and they've been causing a ruckus. It's been giving Principal Lu Ming a huge headache."
The students and teachers from Tianlan College who wanted to undergo cosmetic surgery would be given a discount. Of course, many nobles wouldn't care that much about the small amount of money that they'd save from the discount.
However, the teachers and students of Tianlan College were also given priority for cosmetic surgery, which was what people were enthusiastic about. Qi Shaorong would only accept three customers a day, and the candidates are selected by Tianlan's Vice Principal and Qi Shaorong's trusted aide Qi Heng. There was only one of Qi Shaorong, but there were too many people who wanted cosmetic surgery. Although the people from foreign schools can also register with Li Hong, they'd have to wait forever for it to finally be their turn.
"He sure is doing well!" Zhuang Hao said dejectedly.
Zhuang Qian rubbed his nose and said, "Elder Brother, the current situation isn't too bad, actually! You see! The Ghost Doctor has always disliked you, and now that the Ghost Doctor has become Qi Shaorong, you won't have Qi Shaorong as a love rival anymore."
Zhuang Hao: "…"
Zhuang Qian looked at Zhuang Hao's ugly expression and said, "Elder Brother, are you okay, did I say something wrong?!"
Zhuang Hao shook his head and said, "No, you're right."
Zhuang Qian: "…"
Zhuang Qian scratched his head and said, ���Elder Brother, did you go see Chen Yuan? Did you beat him up?"
"M-hm, I went to train and swap pointers with Chen Yuan to see if he's improved." Zhuang Hao said.
Zhuang Qian: "…" He went to train with Chen Yuan. Elder Brother against Chen Yuan, that's not training and swapping pointers, that's completely crushing the other person!
"Big Brother, Chen Yuan, that guy is so weak, if you go practise fighting with him, you won't have much of a sense of accomplishment!" Zhuang Qian said.
Zhuang Hao nodded and said, "You're right, Chen Yuan that guy is too weak! I should go find the Fourth Prince."
Zhuang Qian: "…" Brother seems to have been possessed by something! Really though, the Fourth Prince, he could've taken a fancy to anyone, but he just had to fancy Qi Shaorong, Qi Shaorong that fierce guy!
Tianlan College.
"Teacher Sun Lin, why did you come? Do you need cosmetic surgery?" Qi Shaorong asked.
Sun Lin smiled bitterly and said, "No, I'm embarrassingly short of money, I can't afford Young Master Qi's prices!"
"Teacher Sun Lin, you make it seem as if my business is performing daylight robbery. You should know that my shop has very reasonable prices, we offer fair treatment and honesty to everyone." Qi Shaorong said seriously.
Sun Lin smiled and said, "Of course, of course, in the whole school, who doesn't know that you're a kind and honest person, Student Qi!"
Sun Lin pulled out her daughter from behind her, "Actually, I came here to thank you."
Behind Sun Lin, Furong carefully revealed her face, her two dark, grape-like eyes sparkling.
Qi Shaorong pinched Furong's face and asked Sun Lin, "Teacher, your daughter is recovering well!"
Sun Lin smiled, "It's all thanks to you. Student Qi, when do you think my daughter will be fully recovered?" Sun Lin looked at Qi Shaorong and asked nervously.
"She's already gotten a lot better now. I'll give her a different prescription, and after taking it for another month, she should be almost completely recovered by then." Qi Shaorong said.
Sun Lin breathed a sigh of relief and said gratefully, "Thank you, Student Qi. By the way, Student Qi, did you know, Zhuang Hao went to the Chen Family and gave Chen Yuan a beating."
Qi Shaorong raised his head and said, "Really? Zhuang Hao that guy really can't do anything right! Such a good friend and he decided to beat him up just because, but, how do I say this, a pitiful person certainly must have something to direct their hatred onto [4]."
Sun Lin: "…"
Yi Family.
Yang Man called out and stopped Yi Chuxue, asking, "Chuxue, where are you going?"
"I… I'm going to see Zhuang Hao." Yi Chuxue said.
Yang Man frowned and said, "Don't go and provoke Zhuang Hao, Zhuang Hao won't want to see you at this time."
Yi Chuxue sullenly said, "How could that be, the relationship between the Yi Family and the Zhuang Family has always been very good."
"Just because the Yi Family and the Zhuang Family have a good relationship doesn't mean that the relationship between you and Zhuang Hao is also good. The Ghost Doctor turned out to be Qi Shaorong, and Zhuang Hao is regretting cancelling their marriage now, even Chen Yuan was beaten up by him. If you weren't a woman, then Zhuang Hao probably would've beaten you up too." Yang Man said.
Yi Chuxue gritted her teeth and said, "There's no way Zhuang Hao likes Qi Shaorong."
"Why can't Zhuang Hao like Qi Shaorong? Qi Shaorong saved the lives of both Zhuang Renquan and Zhuang Ling, and he's also a great talent. If it weren't for you and Chen Yuan breaking off their engagement for Zhuang Hao, maybe the two would've already gotten married by now." Yang Man said.
Yi Chuxue gnashed her teeth together and said, "I don't believe it."
Right when Yang Man wanted to say something else, Yi Huo walked out and said coldly, "Mother, just let her go, you know what Little Sister's temperament is like, she's always stubbornly insisting on doing things her way. If Zhuang Hao doesn't clearly reject her, then she'll never give up. Little Sister, your appearance is only so-so, but you really think of yourself as some sort of goddess, as Zhuang Hao has to like you."
Yi Chuxue's face turned red and she felt wronged, saying, "Elder Brother, how could you say that?"
"What's wrong with me saying that? I just want to bring you back to reality earlier." Yi Huo said.
Yi Chuxue lowered her head, and in her heart she couldn't accept this. Then she thought about how it was her fault that Yi Huo became a waste, and Yi Chuxue felt a little guilty.
"Mother, have you still not found Uncle and the others yet?" Yi Huo asked.
Yang Man nodded and said, "We haven't!"
"It seems like they'll never be found then." Yi Huo said lightly. "I've already said before that the person who harmed Yi Bing wasn't me. Principal Lu Ming also said that Yi Bing's injury may have been caused by a level six mage who's proficient in fire magic. This means that we probably have a hidden enemy somewhere."
Yang Man looked at Yi Huo and said, "Do you suspect that someone is helping Yi Fan?"
Yi Huo shrugged and said, "I just think that everything that's happened to the Yi Family so far seems to have been instigated by someone from behind-the-scenes."
Yang Man pursed her lips and looked at Yi Huo without saying anything.
Yi Chuxue was full of grievances. Seeing that her mother and Yi Huo had stopped talking, she also didn't dare to say anything.
Footnotes:
Acting head of the family: So it means that Yi Xun was in the position of speaking for or acting on behalf of the family, like making decisions for them, I guess? Kind of like a proxy, but I didn't know how to translate it.
Punishment: The original was something like being transported to a distant place for penal servitude or to serve a penal sentence, meaning a punishment for crimes or offenses. So basically, the people want to send Yi Xun's family out of the Imperial Capital, which would probably already be enough of a punishment on its own for them lol.
Stray flowers and grasses: This probably means the women with whom Yi Xun had affairs, and their illegitimate children.
A pitiful person certainly must have something to direct their hatred onto: I spent so long trying to figure out what this means, but I think Qi Shaorong is just saying that Zhuang Hao is really pitiful and pathetic, and of course it makes sense that someone like that would need a way to vent out their emotions, so that's why ZH went and beat up Chen Yuan.