Chapter 99: Bet on Me!

“Rubbish, of course, I want to,” snorted Li Yunxi, a note of contempt in her voice. “Why? Do you have a solution?”

Shaking off the arm that Li Yunxi had draped over his shoulder, Lin Xiao took a small step back.

“If you want to win, then place your bet on me,” he proposed.

“What?”

Before Li Yunxi could even respond, the young girls surrounding her started clamoring.

“Are you joking? It’s your first time participating in the underground race of Jinghai City, moreover, it’s the prestigious Panlong Mountain race, and you want our big sister to bet on your victory? Are you trying to set her up?”

“Yeah, who do you think you are? Competing in the Jinghai City underground race for the first time and expecting our boss to bet on you? What’s your angle?”

“Wait, is he colluding with Le Fangyun? That spat earlier was a setup, a trap to embarrass our big sister?”

The girls’ insinuations set off a commotion among the crowd. Their eyes were filled with rage as they glared at Lin Xiao as if they could tear him to shreds.

Yet, in the face of their accusations and angry stares, Lin Xiao remained unruffled. He didn’t hurry to defend himself or storm off in a fit of anger. Instead, he turned his gaze toward Li Yunxi.

Li Yunxi’s expression flickered, and she suddenly shouted, “Enough, all of you stop arguing!”

Hearing their big sister’s command, they reluctantly fell silent, their eyes still brimming with hostility toward Lin Xiao.

“Give me a reason to bet on you,” Li Yunxi challenged, locking her eyes onto Lin Xiao’s, a playful smile tugging at her lips.

Lin Xiao responded with a self-assured grin, his voice steady and calm, “It’s simple, because I’m sure to win.”

“Do you think you’re some kind of racing god? Where does this confidence come from? Did Fish Leong inspire you?” a young girl piped up, unable to contain her skepticism.

Li Yunxi shot the girl a fierce glare, causing her to shrink back in fright. But she didn’t rebuke the girl, because that was the question she wanted to ask too.

“I’m just offering a friendly suggestion. After all, Miss Li defended me earlier, and I wouldn’t want to see her embarrassed.” Lin Xiao brushed off the crowd’s skepticism, calmly stating, “You’ll understand the source of my confidence when the race begins.”

Li Yunxi’s complexion subtly shifted, sparking a wave of hesitation.

Logic dictated that she shouldn’t trust Lin Xiao. After all, no one had ever won the Panlong Mountain underground race on their first attempt. Yet, as she beheld his poised confidence, she inexplicably felt that he stood a chance.

Torn between rationality and instinct, Li Yunxi found herself wavering. Nevertheless, after a fleeting glance at the unflustered Lin Xiao, she steeled herself and made a decision.

“Alright, I’ll place my bet on you,” Li Yunxi said, her eyes flashing determination as she locked gaze with Lin Xiao. “But, how about we make a wager of our own?”

“What’s the wager?” Lin Xiao hadn’t anticipated Li Yunxi’s quick resolution. He was intrigued.

“If I bet on you for this race and you win, I’ll grant you a favor. But if you lose, you’ll become my underling from then on. What do you say?” Li Yunxi suggested, her smile hinting at mischief.

“Deal,” Lin Xiao said without hesitation.

“Remember, no reneging on your promise,” Li Yunxi warned.

“Don’t worry, I stand by my word,” Lin Xiao assured her.

Li Yunxi then turned to a girl beside her and ordered, “Place the bet. You heard my words, put the wager on him.”

“But, big sis…this is—”

The girl began to protest, but Li Yunxi swiftly cut her off.

“Enough. Just go,” Li Yunxi demanded, asserting her big sister authority.

“Yes, big sis.” With a tinge of reluctance, the girl left. Before leaving, she shot a seething glare at Lin Xiao.

Lin Xiao knew these girls didn’t believe in him. They were convinced he had no chance of winning. But that was to be expected. After all, they barely knew him. This was his first time participating in Jinghai City’s underground race, and to top it off, the event was the city’s most challenging, the Panlong Mountain race.

Nobody could imagine Lin Xiao emerging as the champion.

Yet, to Lin Xiao’s surprise, when no one else believed in him, Li Yunxi chose to place her faith in him, even going as far as to stake her bet on him. This trust appeared truly precious.

Lin Xiao found himself developing a fondness for this seemingly nonchalant girl, who exuded a somewhat rebellious aura and had a demeanor that hinted at an unruly streak.

Li Yunxi checked her watch and said, “The race starts in a few minutes. Do you have a car? If not, you can borrow mine.”

“There’s no need. I have my own car. I’m going to get ready.” Lin Xiao nodded at Li Yunxi and turned to leave.

“Why do you trust this guy, big sister?” a girl blurted out the moment Lin Xiao was out of sight.

“Intuition,” came the response from Li Yunxi, a mysterious smile tugging at her lips.

“Intuition?”

The girls exchanged bewildered looks, struggling to comprehend Li Yunxi’s explanation. A few even speculated in silence if their ‘big sister’ had taken a liking to that man. Otherwise, why would she trust him so profoundly?

“Big sister, this isn’t just any bet. If, and I mean if, we lose, it’ll be a massive blow to your reputation,” voiced Li Yunxi’s sisters, one after another.

“Enough already. If we lose, we lose. I can handle a loss, and those who gamble must be prepared to face the consequences,” said Li Yunxi, maintaining an unperturbed demeanor. “I despise Le Fangyun, but I don’t plan to renege on our bet. If we end up losing, I’ll apologize to him and face the humiliation.”

The girls were instantly on edge.

In desperate voices, they protested, “That’s not okay. You’re our big sister. If you’re humiliated, it’s as if we all are. We can’t let that happen.”

Li Yunxi glanced at them and retorted, “I’m not afraid of humiliation, why should you be? Besides, who said we’ll lose? Watch, I have a hunch, this man will give us a pleasant surprise.”

She turned on her heel, striding toward the racing field.

The Panlong Mountain car race was on the verge of commencement. Minutes later, dazzling lights erupted from the top of the manor, flickering thrice in rapid succession. This was the unmistakable sign that the underground race was about to begin.

At the sight of the signal lights, the scattered spectators quickly converged at the starting line.

At the starting line along the highway, a masked woman stepped forward, scantily dressed and strikingly voluptuous. Taking her place at the center of the road, she raised a checkered flag high above her head, commanding everyone’s attention.

At that moment, a deep male voice boomed from the speakers perched atop the manor.

“Apologies for the wait, folks. The tri-monthly Panlong Mountain Race officially begins now. All twenty registered racers, please take your positions.”

One by one, the racers made their entrances. Lin Xiao was assigned number three, but the entry order was randomized.

Luck, it seemed, had turned its back on him. He drew the 18th position. Not dead last, but close enough to be a problem. The further back the start, the more cars would be clogging the road ahead, making overtaking and victory far more difficult.

Lin Xiao narrowed his eyes slightly at the thought, but there was no hint of concern on his face.

“Now, please welcome our first racer—Le Fangyun!”

The booming voice from the speakers announced the name with fanfare.

A wave of cheers erupted from the crowd, especially from the young heirs and sycophants gathered to watch. Le Fangyun’s loyal followers led the applause with enthusiastic fervor.

A gleaming Lamborghini rolled smoothly onto the highway, pulling up right in front of the masked, scantily clad woman. As the window glided down, Le Fangyun’s striking face came into view.

Bathed in the roar of the crowd, he leaned out of the car window and let out a triumphant yell. The cheering only grew louder in response, swelling like a wave feeding his ego.

Li Yunxi ground her teeth in the crowd, her irritation evident. “I can’t believe that arrogant jerk is actually racing himself. Didn’t expect that.”

A girl beside her sighed in resignation. “With eight of the racers being his lackeys, him joining is just for show. He’s practically guaranteed to win. It’s all rigged in his favor.”