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Chapter 8: Honoring the Bet Without Delay
Chapter 8: Directly Fulfilling the Bet
Upon hearing these words, Ye Fusheng's body once again lost control.
Watching her draw closer and closer, he shot up and wrapped the blanket tightly around himself.
Tensing up, [they] said, "Stay back!"
Gu Ziqi was laughing so hard she nearly doubled over, and when she finally caught her breath, she said with lingering amusement: "Look how frightened you are — it's not like I eat people. Alright, I'll stop teasing you. There's a banquet tonight; come with me."
"No is not an option. You injured my bodyguard — you're coming with me."
Ye Fusheng figured there was nothing pressing to attend to in Tianhai anyway, and agreed: "Fine, you may go."
"Not going out." Gu Ziqi blinked. "Sis still wants to keep you company while you sleep—come here, let Sis give you a hug?"
Ye Fusheng fled in a panic.
Half an hour later, [they] arrived at the Tianhai Racecourse.
Mainly because there was nowhere else to go. At Yunding Celestial Palace I was afraid I might not be able to stop myself from ruining my cultivation, so I came here to have a look.
"Have you heard? The young lady of the Gu family is holding a meet-and-greet tonight!"
"Got it. Word has it that the young lady of the Gu family arrived in Tianhai long ago and has been quietly scouting for a potential partner ever since. She's already made her choice — the announcement is tonight!"
"Whoever manages to collaborate with Miss Gu is hitching themselves to a powerful patron — they'll soar straight to the top!"
A group of young men and women gathered together, talking among themselves.
"Qingqing, if I'm not mistaken, the Gu family's partner in Tianhai must be yours." Xiao Tianyou was dressed in a crisp professional uniform, every inch the polished young heir.
"Mm." Huangfu Qing's face was expressionless—she seemed incapable of smiling, cold as ice.
A glint of malice flashed in Xiao Tianyou's eyes. *Just wait until I get you into bed—then we'll see how cold and aloof you still are!*
Once again a smile spread across their face, and they asked, "By the way, that Ye Fusheng from yesterday — he's gone back already, hasn't he?"
Yesterday, while Huangfu Hai had someone summon Ye Fusheng, he dismissed the other man at the same time. Though the man said several times that he wished to stay, he was ultimately driven away.
"Mm!" Huangfu Qing still said only one word.
Xiao Tianyou gritted his teeth, then composed himself, remarking offhandedly, "Qingqing, I don't know what background that Ye Fusheng comes from, but he's not worthy of you. He looks more like some lowlife con man who drifts from place to place — just toss him a bit of money and send him on his way."
The words had barely fallen.
A voice rang out from behind: "Didn't your mother ever teach you not to talk about people behind their backs?"
Upon hearing this.
Everyone turned around at the same time.
Xiao Tianyou's expression darkened the moment he spotted Ye Fusheng. Why was he here?
"Who are you?"
"Is that any way to speak to Young Master Xiao?"
"Are you asking for a beating!"
The others voiced their displeasure one after another — Xiao Tianyou was the head of their little circle, and they couldn't just stand by while someone talked about him like that.
Ye Fusheng couldn't be bothered with these small fry. He fixed his gaze on Xiao Tianyou and asked, "Not going to answer? Does that mean your mother never taught you manners—or that you don't have one?"
At those words, the color drained from every face—for Xiao Tianyou truly had no mother, and this was his reverse scale.
Sure enough.
Xiao Tianyou flew into a towering rage. For how many years had no one dared mention his mother in his presence? He raised the horsewhip in his hand and lashed it swiftly toward Ye Fusheng.
"I'll beat you to death!"
"Stop!" Huangfu Qing cried out in fright. She was here today to investigate Ye Fusheng's identity — if he ended up getting beaten and stormed off, how was she supposed to find out anything?
"Hit him!"
"Beat him to death!"
The others joined in, adding to the uproar.
The next second.
Bang!
A figure was sent flying backward three meters before crashing heavily to the ground — none other than Xiao Tianyou.
Everyone stood dumbstruck, unable to make out how Ye Fusheng had delivered that kick.
Ye Fusheng withdrew his foot. Truth be told, he had already taken a dislike to Xiao Tianyou since yesterday—only at the time he hadn't yet fallen out with Huangfu Hai, so he had held back out of courtesy.
He turned and said directly: "Go ahead, how do we end this?"
Huangfu Qing struggled to collect herself from her shock, having never anticipated that Ye Fusheng would be so skilled in combat. She furrowed her brow and said, "You're far too crude. Fighting is something only lowlifes do!"
Ye Fusheng let out a disdainful laugh. "What gives you the right to sort people into ranks? Besides, he was the one who struck first."
"You…!" Huangfu Qing was so choked with indignation that she couldn't get another word out.
Is this guy straight? Way too straight.
"Qingqing was right—fighting is the resort of the lowest of men!" Xiao Tianyou clutched his chest and hauled himself up off the ground, knowing he was no match for Ye Fusheng in a fight and would have to salvage his dignity some other way.
"Ye! Do you dare face me in a challenge? This is a horse track — let's settle it on horseback!"
"If I win, you get down on all fours and let me ride you like a horse for ten minutes — and vice versa!"
"Stupid dog, quit your barking. Keep it up and I'll kick you!" Ye Fusheng replied with cool indifference.
"You…" Xiao Tianyou was so livid he nearly coughed up blood, and snarled: "Bring out my blood-sweating steed worth twelve million! Do you dare race me, you Ye bastard?!"
"I'll use my own horse — you can pick any one you like from the stable!"
The lackey and the girl who liked him said indignantly.
"Look at those ragged clothes he's wearing—he's never ridden a horse before, has he?"
"This is a sport for the nobility — he's probably never played it before; he wouldn't even know how to ride!"
"Too scared to compete? Gone soft already? If you're any kind of man, come face Young Master Zhang!"
Huangfu Qing spoke up as well: "I actually think you should compete — prove you're not just good at fighting! And more than that… prove you're a man who doesn't shy away from a challenge."
Before this, she might still have put in a word for him — but after the way he'd just cut her down, she rather wanted to watch him lose face.
"I don't care what you think — I care what I think, and I think there's no need to compare."
Ye Fusheng remained utterly unmoved. He had thought she was about to say something significant, yet after all that fuss it turned out to be this childish nonsense — an insult to his intelligence. He turned and walked away.
"Stop!"
Xiao Tianyou's eyes were about to split with fury, his entire body trembling uncontrollably. To let him walk away just like that would be too humiliating—he reached into his pocket, pulled out a bank card, and flung it over.
He gritted his teeth and said: "There are two million in this card—dare to go up against me, and every last coin is yours!"
Throwing money at people was his tried-and-true trick — first he'd make his opponent bow their head for the cash, then have someone quietly snatch it back. He'd lose nothing, still get what he wanted, and come across as impressively generous to boot.
Ye Fusheng accepted the bank card. It wasn't as though he needed the money — but why turn down something handed over for free?
He smiled and said, "Very well, I'll take you up on that."
Xiao Tianyou gave a cold, sinister smile. Just then, his prized blood-sweat stallion was led to his side. With one hand gripping the reins and one foot in the stirrup, he vaulted onto the horse's back in one smooth, fluid motion.
"I'll be the referee!" Huangfu Qing eagerly volunteered — she rather wanted to see exactly how Ye Fusheng would embarrass himself. She also knew something the others did not: that Xiao Tianyou's prized Akhal-Teke was soon to be put out to stud.
What is a "heavy horse"?
Exceptionally powerful in personal constitution, with pure bloodline — worthy of being passed down!
Looking across the entire racetrack, she ranks among the top three — there is simply no way Ye Fusheng can win!
He added, "If anyone fails to honor the bet, they shall be scorned by all—and driven out of Tianhai for good!"
"Good, this is an excellent proposal!"
"With Qingqing as the referee, who would dare to disobey?"
"Failing to honor the bet will have grave consequences!"
The others chimed in one after another, their words laced with mockery as their gazes turned toward Ye Fusheng, certain he would lose.
A smug smile spread across Xiao Tianyou's face. Getting Huangfu Qing to despise him was already half the battle. He said with arrogant confidence, "You pick the horse — any one you want, I can get it for you!"
"No need."
Ye Fusheng smiled faintly. "I prefer to honor my bets on the spot!"
Having said that, he raised his hand and snapped his fingers.
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