Though Xiao Hao hadn't expected that Chen Fei—a completely unfamiliar face in the elite circle of officials' sons in Jiangnan Province—could make Dong Jianhui call him Brother Fei and seem to have such a significant background, none of that mattered anymore.

Because as the saying goes, a wise man submits to his circumstances.

The incriminating recording in the other party's hands was equivalent to controlling his fatal weakness. After all, if those two recordings were released, he, Xiao Hao, would be utterly disgraced in their circle. From this night on, he would find it hard to hold his head high, becoming a complete laughingstock.

So, although he was beside himself with rage and extremely unwilling, he still gritted his teeth, bowed his head, and apologized, believing he had shown sufficient sincerity. However, he never imagined that Chen Fei wasn't ready to let it go and even dared to push his luck!

What bet? What a load of crap! With my status and position, how could I, Xiao Hao, possibly do something so humiliating in public? If I really shouted "I submit" three times like an idiot, how could I ever hold my head up in Tongzhou City's circle again? How could I carry on?

"Friend, I call you that out of respect, to give you face. But if you're going to get presumptuous and pushy because of it, then don't blame me for being uncivil," he threatened, his gaze turning icy as he stared at Chen Fei, his nostrils flaring with heavy breaths. "Sorry, not sorry."

"Uncivil? Sorry?" Upon hearing this, Chen Fei's dark, crystal-clear eyes narrowed, shooting out two beams of light as sharp as blades. "Well, I'm truly sorry, but I happen to be thick-skinned. I'm actually quite curious to see just how uncivil Xiao Shao can be. Hmm?"

As he spoke, he couldn't help but laugh with disdain. After all, with his current Cultivation Level, his strength, and even his status as a department-director level cadre of the special department—the Flying Leopard—he honestly couldn't imagine how the other party could possibly be uncivil to him.

"Hmph! Don't be so full of yourself. I know you must have a significant background for Young Master Dong to call you Brother Fei. But have you ever bothered to ask who I, Xiao Hao, am? Or what kind of background and status I have?" Seeing that Chen Fei wasn't falling for his act, Xiao Hao's expression grew even darker.

"Tch. Status? Position? You?" Just then, Dong Jianhui couldn't help but chuckle. "Aren't you just Xiao Qianrang's nephew? And from a sideline of the family, at that. I have no idea where you get the audacity to boast so shamelessly."

"Dong Jianhui, you..." Hearing this, Xiao Hao's mouth twitched, his expression turning ugly as he glared at Dong Jianhui. He hated to admit it, but he was indeed from the Xiao Family Sideline, with a very humble origin. If not for his powerful backer, Xiao Qianrang of the Xiao Group, who had doted on him for years due to being childless, he would have never achieved his current status. Dong Jianhui's words were poking at his sorest spot, tearing open an old wound, so it was no wonder he became so furious.

"A sideline? So what if I'm from a sideline?" he shot back, forcing a proud, arrogant laugh as he looked coldly at Dong Jianhui. "Don't forget, Young Master Dong, my uncle only has me, his one and only nephew. Who else would he pass his fortune to?"

"Hmph, who your uncle passes his business to is none of my damn business," Dong Jianhui snorted. Before knowing certain inside information, he thought the point was valid. Xiao Qianrang had no sons, and Xiao Hao was his only nephew, so it was logical he would inherit everything. Whether he was from a sideline or not didn't seem to matter much.

However, Chen Fei just smiled strangely. "So, Xiao Shao, have you made a decision? Three million and you honor the bet, or we leak these two recordings and wait for the show to start..."

"You wouldn't dare!" Xiao Hao interrupted with a dark expression before Chen Fei could finish.

"And why wouldn't I?" A faint, mocking smile played on Chen Fei's lips. "Since you've put it that way, it seems you've made your choice. Fine then. Jianhui, let's go. We've got a good show to watch."

"Wait!" Before Chen Fei could turn around, a teeth-gritting Xiao Shao stopped him. His face was grim. "Five million! No, eight million! I'll give you eight million. We'll let today's matter go. Don't push it!"

Clearly, he was trying to buy his way out of the lost bet with eight million.

Tsk, tsk. What a grand gesture. Eight million... But does Chen Fei need the money? It really doesn't seem like it. And the guy's attitude is still so condescending, as if he's the one bestowing a favor. Is this how he negotiates?

"Sorry, I'm not short on cash," Chen Fei refused without hesitation, a peculiar glint in his dark, clear eyes. "However, I can give you one more chance. It's up to you whether you can seize it."

"What do you mean? What chance?" Though his expression was gloomy, Xiao Hao latched onto the words like a lifeline.

"Simple. Weren't you just unconvinced? You thought I only won because of dumb luck, right?" Chen Fei said with a slight smile, his eyes narrowing.

"So what if I did?" Xiao Hao retorted coldly, furrowing his brow, not understanding what Chen Fei was getting at.

"Still don't get it? Let me be clearer." A sharp light flashed in Chen Fei's eyes. He pursed his lips into a faint smile. "Since you're not convinced, I'll make you convinced. How about we bet again? If you can beat me, not only will I immediately delete the recordings, but I'll also have Jianhui fulfill the original bet instead. What do you say?"

WHOA!

At Chen Fei's words, not only was Xiao Hao stunned, but even Dong Jianhui's expression froze for a moment before a bizarre smile spread across his lips.

Obviously, even a fool would understand by now that Brother Fei is setting a trap. A rematch because the first time was just luck? Please. You really think Brother Fei's shot was just luck? Well, if you insist on believing that, I can't stop you. Still, a good act needs a supporting player to be convincing.

"Brother Fei..." Dong Jianhui's face twitched slightly. Standing behind Chen Fei, he gave his sleeve a little tug, feigning a hint of panic.

Seeing this, Xiao Hao lit up as if he'd been shot with adrenaline. An unnatural flush appeared on his face as he blurted out excitedly, "Are you serious? A gentleman's word is his bond!"

In his desperation, he had even managed to spout such a refined proverb. It was clear just how thrilled he was. He thought Chen Fei must have lost his mind. Another match? In another match, I'm guaranteed to win! He had placed in the top three of a California, America state-level golf tournament before; his skills were completely at a professional level. If that kid hadn't gotten some unbelievable dogshit luck and inexplicably hit a hole-in-one, how could he possibly have lost? It was simply impossible.

"Of course, I'm serious. But what happens if you lose again?" Chen Fei asked with a faint smile.

"Lose again? Haha! If I lose again, you can name any condition you want, and I'll agree to it. How about that?" Hearing this, a mocking smirk appeared on Xiao Hao's lips. Lose again? With my professional-level skills, how could I possibly lose again? Keep dreaming!

"Don't be so confident. How about this? We'll change the terms of the bet slightly. I happen to be planning to open an Herbal Cuisine Workshop here in Tongzhou City, but I haven't found a suitable location yet. So, Xiao Shao, if you lose again, that task will fall to you. How does that sound?" Chen Fei said, narrowing his eyes and revealing his true 'motive'.

So, this was his plan all along, to treat Young Master Xiao like a fat sheep for the slaughter. Finding a suitable storefront in a provincial capital where every inch of land is precious—especially for something like an Herbal Cuisine Workshop, which sounded like it would need a lot of space—would surely cost tens of millions.

"An Herbal Cuisine Workshop? A storefront?" Even the supremely confident Young Master Xiao Hao was taken aback, not expecting Chen Fei to make such a demand. It was completely out of left field.

He knew that even for him—the beloved nephew of Xiao Qianrang, the head of the Xiao Group—getting a good storefront in Tongzhou City would require a monumental effort and cost. Yet now, Chen Fei was proposing to bet on exactly that? It made him feel that something wasn't quite right.

"What's the matter, Xiao Shao? Not capable? If not, then forget it. I won't force you. I can just think of something else to bet," Chen Fei said nonchalantly.

"Who said I'm not capable?" Xiao Hao reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, his expression shifting dramatically. "Since you want to play for high stakes, fine! I, Xiao Hao, will take you on! If I lose, I'll get you a three-story, two-thousand-square-meter storefront right in the city center..." He paused, then his gloomy eyes locked onto Chen Fei as he sneered, "But what if *you* lose? Three million? Sorry, I don't think that's going to cut it anymore."

"Three million isn't enough? Then what about fifty million?" Chen Fei said faintly. "If I lose, I'll pay you fifty million. But this time, you can't go back on your word. We'll need a guarantor... How about this private club?"

A three-story, two-thousand-square-meter storefront in the city center, especially in a place like Tongzhou City where land was so valuable. Chen Fei wasn't exactly sure what it was worth, but fifty million should be more than enough, right? Besides, he was just throwing a number out there. Was it even possible for him to lose?

"Fine! A guarantor it is! But we're adding one more condition. Whoever loses has to shout 'I submit!' three times in public, in front of everyone!" Young Master Xiao Hao's neck flushed red, his eyes irrational as he roared at the two of them. "So, if you lose, you both have to shout 'I submit!' to me three times! How about it? Do you dare?"

"Why wouldn't we? Whatever!" Dong Jianhui eagerly replied before Chen Fei could even open his mouth.

Lose? Fine. We'll just have to see who it is that loses. Heh.

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