Chapter 98: Do You Want to Win?

Bemused, Lin Xiao shook his head in refusal. In Li Yunxi’s eyes, she might have saved his life, but from his perspective, her sudden intervention had ironically ended up sparing Le Fangyun and his henchmen.

Without Li Yunxi’s interference, Le Fangyun and his lackeys would likely be sprawled on the ground, joining the large man already down there.

Seeing Li Yunxi’s blatant disregard for him, Le Fangyun could no longer contain his frustration.

“Li Yunxi!” he bellowed.

The crowd around them reacted to Le Fangyun’s outburst with a mixture of tension and anticipation. Young Master Le was incensed, and the target of his anger was none other than Miss Li.

From their perspective, this was a showdown between the established and emerging powers of Jinghai City.

Le Fangyun’s family represented the new wave of power, while Li Yunxi’s family held the city’s long-standing influence. Both parties, with their prestigious backgrounds, were locked in competition.

In case of a clash, would the emerging power overthrow the old, or would the traditional forces defend their turf?

“Why are you yelling? Why are you calling me? I’m not deaf,” Li Yunxi retorted, an impatient frown on her face.

Le Fangyun’s forehead vein pulsed visibly, his menacing eyes practically aflame as he glared at Li Yunxi. He looked like he was ready to lash out at anyone. He was at the boiling point.

But the greater the fury, the greater the calm that follows. As his rage peaked, Le Fangyun surprisingly became serene. He stared expressionlessly at Li Yunxi and challenged, “Li Yunxi, do you dare to wager a bet with me?”

“A bet? Sure, I can take you on,” Li Yunxi said, a cold smirk playing on her lips, completely unfazed by Le Fangyun’s erratic behavior. “What are we betting on?”

“We’ll bet on who will clinch first place in tonight’s car race,” Le Fangyun proposed, a matching cold smile on his face. “So, do you dare?”

“Only a coward would back out,” Li Yunxi countered, her voice laced with mockery. “What’s at stake?”

“If you win, I’ll vanish from your life forever. But if I win, you must fulfill one request of mine.”

“And what would that be?”

Le Fangyun’s eyes flickered with triumph at Li Yunxi’s acquiescence. “I want you to spend a night with me.”

The moment these words were spoken, the room erupted into chaos. Especially the men who saw Li Yunxi as their dream girl, they were in utter disbelief.

Though Li Yunxi usually dressed provocatively and seemed very open-minded, she had a reputation for her purity and self-respect among the elite of the young, wealthy generation. There had never been any scandalous rumors about her with any man.

Li Yunxi was not just a stunning beauty with a ravishing figure, but also came from a significant background, making her the dream girl for countless wealthy heirs.

In the eyes of these extravagant and emotionally complicated young heirs, the pure and self-disciplined Li Yunxi was like a sanctuary deep within their hearts.

Le Fangyun instantly turned into the enemy of every wealthy young man present. Even his usual acquaintances looked at him with hostility, except for a few of his close followers.

This reaction took Le Fangyun by surprise. His family had some wealth, but they were average among the rich, nowhere near the top-tier circle of Jinghai city, before a distant relative of his from the Le family took up a job there.

He barely knew anything about Li Yunxi, except for her striking beauty and expressive fashion sense, which made him want to win her over.

However, he hadn’t anticipated the high regard in which Li Yunxi was held among the wealthy heirs. One mere comment from him had placed him against everyone else.

“Ha, dream on,” Li Yunxi’s face turned icy as she looked disdainfully at Le Fangyun. “You think your frivolous words are enough to make me spend a night with you? Who do you take me for?”

Facing the outraged stares around him, Le Fangyun wisely decided not to push his initial proposal.

“Then what’s your suggestion?” he asked.

After a moment’s thought, Li Yunxi responded, “How about this, the loser must apologize to the winner in front of everyone, shouting ‘I’m an idiot’ three times. Plus, they must step aside whenever they cross paths with the winner.”

“Alright,” Le Fangyun quickly agreed, afraid that Li Yunxi might change her mind. “It’s a deal, then. No backing out.”

Li Yunxi gave him a scornful look. “Don’t worry. I keep my word. If you win, I’ll apologize on the spot and will always step aside when I see you in the future.”

“Good. You’d better start thinking about your apology. Get ready to make a spectacle of yourself,” Le Fangyun said, his face beaming with confidence.

Laughing triumphantly, he then left with his cronies in tow.

After Le Fangyun departed, the crowd around gradually dissipated, engaging in murmurs of discussion. They were speculating about the wager between Le Fangyun and Li Yunxi.

“Who do you think will win this wager, young Master Le or Miss Li?”

“It has to be young Master Le. Remember, he has a whole team of race car drivers at his disposal for this race.”

“I agree. Unfortunately, it looks like Miss Li is at a disadvantage this time.”

“Do you think if she loses, Miss Li will really stand in public, shouting ‘I am a fool’ three times and make a spectacle of herself?”

“It’s hard to tell. Given Miss Li’s personality, she might not do it, but if she breaks her promise, she’ll face major embarrassment in our social circle.”

When everyone else had dispersed, Lin Xiao, who had been quietly standing to one side, watched their retreating figures. This conflict and wager had originated because of him, but now he felt like an outsider. No one had paid any attention to him from start to finish.

To everyone else, only Le Fangyun and Li Yunxi were worth noticing. They dismissed Lin Xiao as insignificant.

Li Yunxi also seemed to have forgotten Lin Xiao’s existence as she furrowed her brows in thought. She was surrounded by her young female friends. Their chatter was as noisy as a soap opera, even though they were all seventeen or eighteen-year-old girls. It was enough to give Li Yunxi a throbbing headache.

“Sis, why did you agree to Le Fangyun’s wager?”

“You were too impulsive, Sis.”

“It’s no use discussing that now. We should focus on how to help you win this wager, Sis, otherwise you’ll face major embarrassment.”

“What if we bribe all the race car drivers? Then we can choose the winner!”

“You’re dreaming. Le Fangyun must have his people among those involved in the wager. He’s no fool. He would never sit back and let us corrupt them.”

Overwhelmed by the surrounding chatter, Li Yunxi couldn’t help but cover her ears, exclaiming, “Enough, all of you, just shut up.”

Upon hearing their elder sister’s outburst, the younger girls immediately closed their mouths and fell silent. Li Yunxi glared at her sisters and retorted, “From your words, it sounds like I’m bound to lose?”

The girls all nodded in unison.

“I refuse to believe it. Investigate all the racers in this event. I want all their details. I need to pick a formidable one. I must win this time!” Li Yunxi insisted, her foot stamping the ground in determination.

Soon, someone handed her a list.

“Sis, there are twenty racers tonight. Eight of them are linked to Le Fangyun, so he can rig the outcome if he wants. Of the remaining twelve, three are well-known names in the underground circuit. The rest are nobodies, except for one oddball: Lin Xiao. I searched every race record in Jinghai City, and that name doesn’t appear once. This is clearly his first race. And yet, he dares to jump straight into Panlong Mountain? It’s ridiculous.”

At that moment, Lin Xiao, who had been quietly standing to the side, finally spoke up.

“Apologies for the interruption,” he said calmly. “But the oddball Lin Xiao you mentioned? That would be me.”

Lin Xiao’s voice startled Li Yunxi and her sisters. They hadn’t realized he’d been standing there the entire time.

Li Yunxi scrutinized Lin Xiao, her tone carrying a hint of sympathy, “So you actually signed up for the Panlong Mountain race?”

“Yes.” Lin Xiao responded, his tone flat, betraying no emotion.

“I’d advise you to quit, then.”

Li Yunxi seemed quite intrigued by Lin Xiao. She approached him and, in a masculine fashion, slung her arm around his shoulder.

“According to the records, you’ve never raced underground in Jinghai City. Debuting at Panlong Mountain? You’ve got virtually no shot at winning. If you’re that desperate for money, just say the word. Stick with me, and I’ll make sure you don’t go hungry.”

Li Yunxi wore a form-fitting black T-shirt that emphasized her alluring figure. However, even with such beauty before him, Lin Xiao remained unswayed.

“Miss Li, I have one question. Do you want to win this wager?”