Over the past two days, Yang Xi helped arrange Wage's funeral and accompanied Wage's parents, older sister, and younger sister back to the countryside. Afterward, Wage's younger sister took out her phone and said, "Yang, look at this video. Is this you?" Since it was the overseas version of Hua Country's TikTok, people all over the world could see it.
Yang Xi was dumbfounded. Beneath the video, there were over a million likes and tens of thousands of comments.
The first comment read: "I know this is Wudang Fist."
The second comment: "This is authentic Baguazhang."
The third comment: "True masters are among the common people. Looks like he's beating up someone from the Beautiful Country. Bringing glory to the country! Liking him!"
The fourth comment: "This guy is so handsome. Quick, tell me where he is, I want to marry him! So in love," followed by a string of heart emojis.
"The fifth comment: Now this is a real master. He executed a total of eleven moves and took down eleven people, blending Wudang Longquan, Baguazhang, and Taijiquan. Hua Country's traditional martial arts have a promising future!" wrote someone who understood martial arts.
"The sixth comment: Handsome young man, hurry back. Traditional martial arts need you, the country's martial arts have been completely disgraced by that trash country."
And the seventh...
Yang Xi was speechless. Peace and quiet were out of the question now. "Xenia, don't you dare tell anyone my address. I need some quiet, understand?" Yang Xi said to Wage's younger sister.
She was twenty-five or twenty-six, but had a baby face that made her look like a middle schooler, a cute little waif, and she didn't seem to be married yet.
"Kiss me and I'll agree to anything you want," Xenia said with a giggle.
"Xenia, I'm already married. Kissing you would be considered cheating in our country, so I'm sorry!" With that, Yang Xi fled as if running for his life.
"Hey, Hua Country boy, you don't have to lie to me! Agnes told me you're single right now!" Xenia shouted loudly from behind.
A week after Wage's sacrifice, no one spoke of him anymore. That was just how people were—aside from family members missing them occasionally, dust returned to dust, and earth to earth. The moment someone died, it was all over.
Today was Sunday, and Yang Xi went to visit Xue Wenlin and his wife as usual. Yang Xi was a southerner, but his straightforward, decisive personality—completely free of hesitation—matched the northern couple's, so they got along very well.
Yang Xi had been trying to stay out and avoid going home because he didn't know how to face Agnes. It would be a lie to say he wasn't moved; after living together for three months, genuine feelings had grown between them. But he was terrified. If he got together with her only to bring about her death through his cursed fate, Yang Xi would spend the rest of his life consumed by remorse!
"Su Qiuyun is here!" Jiang Qiu said in surprise. "Aunt Jiang, long time no see. I've been busy with my graduation thesis lately and haven't had time to visit you. How are you both doing?"
"We're doing well. Let me introduce you—this is Yang Xi, who just arrived in Bear Country. And this is Su Qiuyun, the female college student I told you about," Jiang Qiu said, casting a sideways glance at Yang Xi.
Yang Xi looked at the young woman before him. She stepped in her high heels as if keeping time to the beat of a drum, every step exuding fashionable rhythm. A mass of slightly wavy, long black hair fell loosely over her shoulders, swaying gently with her movements and gleaming with the luster of silk. Her eyes were like deep lakes, the pitch-black pupils concealing a starry sea, and her long eyelashes were like tiny fans that fluttered and tugged at heartstrings.
Beneath her high bridge of the nose was a pair of lips as tender and pink as cherry blossoms, the corners curving upward into an elusive smile that seemed capable of melting the entire world. She wore a simple white off-the-shoulder dress that perfectly showcased her charming collarbones and slender shoulders, while a narrow black belt around her waist outlined her willow-like waist.
"Hello, very nice to meet you," Yang Xi took the initiative and extended his hand.
"Oh! You're the martial arts prince! It's blowing up all over TikTok. Even one of our official Hua Country platforms reviewed it!" Su Qiuyun said excitedly.
*Great, now I'm famous. Peace and quiet for the next three years is probably out of the question,* Yang Xi sighed to himself.
Xue Wenlin and his wife deliberately kept quiet, leaving the space to the two young people.
"Can I call you younger brother? I'm two years older than you. How about younger brother and older sister go for a walk together?" Su Qiuyun was very talkative, and before long she was affectionately pulling Yang Xi's hand to go shopping at the mall.
"Su Qiuyun, wait a moment." Because of his sudden fame on TikTok, Yang Xi stopped in front of an eyewear shop to buy a pair of sunglasses before following Su Qiuyun.
"Yang Xi, little brother, you're so handsome. Do you have a girlfriend? How about older sister being your girlfriend?" True to her background as an overseas student here, Su Qiuyun possessed a personality just like the local women.
"Ah, stop joking around. We're from the same country, so let me be honest with you—I'm a widower. I've been married before, and I'm cursed to bring death to my wives. Whoever becomes my wife doesn't live long, so don't ever bring up being my girlfriend again. I don't want to harm you!" Yang Xi confessed honestly.
"I'd only be your girlfriend, not your wife. You're only cursed to kill your wives, you wouldn't kill a girlfriend, would you?" Her reply left Yang Xi utterly astonished.
*That's right! Why didn't I think of that? That old saying 'Those who have wives shouldn't revere gods'—I never understood it before. Could this be what it means? That you shouldn't hold a wedding ceremony if you have a wife, so as not to provoke the gods!* Yang Xi felt nervous and uncertain, wanting to give it a try yet afraid he might have misunderstood.
"Yang Xi, little brother, that settles it then! From now on, you're my boyfriend. I couldn't care less! Any woman who finds a handsome guy like this for a boyfriend would smile in her sleep. I can't wait to introduce you to my girlfriends so they stop mocking me every day for being an old maid!" Su Qiuyun said generously.
Yang Xi was completely stunned by this open-minded college student, but he still refused to go with her to the school. He felt that Su Qiuyun only wanted him as a boyfriend to show him off, and he refused to be anyone's showpiece. A faint sense of displeasure lingered in his heart, so he flatly rejected her invitation to dinner and headed straight home.