Chapter 71: She Wants to Break Off the Engagement

Chapter 71: She Wants to Break Off the Engagement

After joining the Tianyu branch, Luo Xinning's ambitions had clearly soared. She now felt emboldened, unafraid even of offending influential figures.

The benefits she had brought to her family paled in comparison to what she stood to gain from entering the prestigious Tianyu Branch of the Great Qin Holy Academy.

Luo Qingtong considered this and realized that obtaining a spot in the Tianyu Branch was no small feat. The last admission quota had been awarded to her as a special privilege by the academy after the fifth prince, her fiancé and future fifth prince, was selected as a heaven-level freshman.

Luo Qingtong didn't know the specifics behind the scenes, but she had undoubtedly secured this significant advantage, which naturally made Luo Xinning envious.

This admission quota allowed Luo Qingtong entry into the Tianyu Branch even if she did not currently meet the usual admission standards, similar to a special recruitment quota used by institutions in the 24th century, granting certain exemptions.

Luo Qingtong smiled meaningfully, pondering the situation. The original owner of her identity had not been favored by the fifth prince or the Tianyu royal family. As just a fiancée and not a legitimate wife, how had such a coveted spot fallen into her lap unless someone had orchestrated it deliberately?

Moreover, the tactics used against the original owner were clumsy and amateurish, uncharacteristic of a royal family known for subtlety and intrigue. This suggested that someone within the family was acting independently.

Casually piecing together the facts, Luo Qingtong quickly surmised the true nature of the machinations at play.

She told her grandfather playfully, "Grandpa, if Luo Xinning wants those things, let her have them. How can she not fall from a greater height if she doesn't climb higher first?"

She had already decided not to claim the Tianyu Branch quota. If she, Luo Qingtong, were to enter, it would be on her own merits, not as a favor from the fifth prince or anyone else. If someone was plotting to get her into the Tianyu Branch, she would thwart their plans by refusing to go—or by choosing the timing and manner of her attendance herself.

And even if she ultimately rejected the Tianyu Branch spot, she certainly wouldn't pass it to Luo Xinning.

She planned to teach Luo Xinning a lesson—that possessions not rightfully hers could burn her hands. Luo Qingtong was eager to see her cousin's reaction when the unearned gains inevitably slipped through her fingers.

"Qingtong, do you want to...?" her grandfather began cautiously.

"Grandpa, don't worry about this. I'm not interested. Rather than benefiting others with this quota, it's better to let my sister have it, don't you think? I believe most of the Luo family would agree. If I go against public opinion, I'd feel quite guilty myself," she replied with a sly smile.

Her beauty, combined with the cunning glint in her eyes, gave her a dangerously enchanting allure.

"Grandpa, don't fret over this. I have my own plans. What I really need to discuss is something else," Luo Qingtong continued, her expression calm but her words deliberate. "I want to break off the engagement."

The declaration hit Mr. Luo like a bolt from the blue. He was sipping tea at the time, having grown accustomed to his granddaughter's newfound resilience after her brush with death. Yet, despite his mental preparations for her unpredictability, her statement made him spit out his tea in shock.